HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Freedom of Information

David Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much the House of Commons  (a) has paid and  (b) remains liable to pay in respect of the costs of legal actions concerning freedom of information since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into effect.

Nick Harvey: Legal actions to the end of April 2009 have incurred external costs of £142,838. There are no outstanding liabilities. All internal costs have been absorbed within the cost of running the House Administration and cannot be separately identified.

Members: Allowances

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the number of leaks to outside bodies of information on hon. Members' expenses claims for 2007-08; what assessment the Commission has made of the effects of those leaks, and the subsequent publication of information; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: It is clear that there has been unauthorised disclosure of a large amount of data relating to Members' claims, including claims relating to 2007-08. The Commission is monitoring the effects of those disclosures.

Members: Allowances

Julian Lewis: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission for what reasons the information on hon. Members' expenses which has been leaked was not processed solely on paper, prior to scheduled publication by the House authorities in redacted electronic form.

Nick Harvey: The information to be published was taken from a dataset approaching one million separate pieces of paper. The editing of such information in paper format would have required copies to be made and the application of ink or tape to obscure the information and then recopied to ensure that the data remained unreadable. This solution was considered to be impracticable.

Members: Data Protection

Julian Lewis: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make it his policy that unredacted private data relating to hon. Members will in future be processed solely on paper until all redactions have been made, prior to publication in electronic form online.

Nick Harvey: Given the need correctly to process, record and account for claims and expenditure it is inevitable that electronic records are created and maintained. However, from the start of this financial year the way in which such data are collected and processed has been restructured. These processes will be kept under review.

Security

Gordon Prentice: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether information is retained by the House authorities on where and when an hon. Member uses their House of Commons pass; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: It is not the policy of the Commission to comment on security matters.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Police: Assaults

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Solicitor-General what her most recent assessment is of the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service in prosecuting cases of assault against police officers in  (a) England and  (b) Northamptonshire.

Vera Baird: In 2008-09 the Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted 21,260 cases of assault specifically against police officers in the execution of their duty, under section 89(1) of the Police Act 1996 in England and Wales, of which 185 cases were in Northamptonshire. The outcomes of these prosecutions could be ascertained only by examining individual case records, which would incur disproportionate cost. More serious assaults on police officers may result in other offences being charged, but the nature of the victim is not sufficiently identified by the CPS records.

Government Departments: Legal Profession

Anne Moffat: To ask the Solicitor-General what the policy of the Law Officers' Departments is on encouraging Government lawyers to undertake pro bono work.

Vera Baird: All Government Departments encourage their staff to take an active role in volunteering in the community. The Law Officers' departments support this policy and the provision by lawyers of legal advice and assistance pro bono. As a Law Officer's department, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, through the Government Legal Service Pro Bono network, encourages Government lawyers who wish to provide advice and representation pro bono. In addition to raising awareness and supporting lawyers working at diverse law clinics, the GLS pro bono network operates an advice clinic at the Treasury Solicitor's Department on Tuesday nights, which focuses on employment law issues. A new initiative from the Crown Prosecution Service is a pro bono and volunteering network, which will be launched formally on 10 June 2009.

Members: Allowances

David Kidney: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions she has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the convening of a joint panel with the Metropolitan Police to assess allegations relating to claims for allowances payments made by hon. Members.

Vera Baird: None. Decisions about whether a criminal investigation is called for or not in an individual case fall to the police, with advice from the Crown Prosecution Service. The panel will establish whether there are cases that merit investigation and determine priorities. This will speed up the process. The panel will ensure that decisions in individual cases are taken on a fair and consistent basis with the benefit of advice from the CPS.

PRIME MINISTER

Members: Allowances

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2009,  Official Report, column 183W, on Members: allowances; for what reason he did not reply to the part of the Question relating to the sequence of events.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May 2009,  Official Report, column 183W. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) at Prime Minister's Questions on 1 April 2009,  Official Report, column 910-911.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Compensation Agency: Official Hospitality

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Compensation Agency spent on hospitality and entertainment in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the Compensation Agency's expenditure on hospitality in the last five years:
	
		
			   Hospitality expenditure (£) 
			 2008-09 228.93 
			 2007-08 618.66 
			 2006-07 34.31 
			 2005-06 293.91 
			 2004-05 703.52 
		
	
	The Compensation Agency does not have any entertainment expenditure.

SCOTLAND

Borders: Personal Records

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions officials of his Department have had with officials of the Home Office on the proposal to give the police powers to collect advance passenger data on domestic air and sea journeys.

Ann McKechin: Scotland Office and Home Office officials have had a number of recent exchanges on this proposal. Police powers to require a carrier, on request, to capture passenger data on domestic routes were provided through the Police and Justice Act 2006. These provisions have not been commenced. A formal public consultation will take place prior to the secondary legislation necessary to implement the powers. It is intended that this will focus on crossings between Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.

Departmental Dismissal

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of staff in his Department were dismissed  (a) for under-performance and  (b) in total in each of the last 10 years.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since this date no members of staff have been dismissed for under-performance.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Leader of the House when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 19 February 2009, on lobbying.

Chris Bryant: We have no record of receiving such correspondence from the hon. Member, but would be happy to supply an early response on receiving a copy of the original letter.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the airline industry on responsibility for meeting the cost of returning persons trafficked by air into the UK to their country of origin.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration on 20 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1463W, to the hon. Member for Totnes (Mr. Steen).

Departmental Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the risk register for his Department's flexible benefits project.

Geoff Hoon: The risk registers held by the Department for Transport on this matter are either commercial, confidential or sensitive documents and it would not be appropriate to place them in the House Library.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's response is to the recommendations to standardise processes in areas such as travel and subsistence claims and annual performance appraisals as set out at page 8, paragraph 15f of the National Audit Office report on Shared Services in Department for Transport.

Geoff Hoon: The Department for Transport agrees that standardisation of processes is an important contributor to the operation of Shared Services and that this will be achieved appropriately where it meets business need.
	The NAO has highlighted travel and subsistence, and annual performance appraisals as areas where standardised processes should be considered. The Department will be considering these areas, as well as other areas where work is already under way, such as developing e recruitment, to gain the greatest benefit from shared services.

Departmental Official Cars

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles over six years old are  (a) owned and  (b) leased by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.

Geoff Hoon: The requested information on cars owned or leased over six-years-old is provided in the table.
	
		
			  Organisational unit  (a) Owned  (b)  Leased 
			  Central Department   
			 DFT HQ 0 0 
			 Air Accidents Investigation Branch 0 0 
			 Marine Accident Investigation Branch 0 0 
			 Rail Accident Investigation Branch 0 0 
			
			 Driving Standards Agency 24 0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 0 0 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 7 0 
			 Highways Agency 237 0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 223 0 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 125 0 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 2 0 
		
	
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency provide vehicles for to a number of Government Departments.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on  (a) conference services and  (b) banqueting services in each of the last five years.

Geoff Hoon: The requested information is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   (a) Conference services  (b) Banqueting services 
			 2008-09 1,203,551 0 
			 2007-08 1,007,578 0 
			 2006-07 870,300 0 
			 2005-06 483,717 0 
			 2004-05 343,977 0 
			  Notes: 1. Excludes spend in respect of DfT HQ and the Highways Agency as this is the responsibility of local business units/is not centrally collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. 2. In some cases spend includes associated costs and not conference costs alone. 
		
	
	The Department for Transport is a federated organisation comprising a central Department and seven Executive Agencies. Conferences are organised in support of strategic objectives and the above data includes associated costs, such as stands and equipment.
	The increase in costs is due to the hosting of conferences for Executive Agency stakeholders (where no such conferences previously existed) and increases in the frequency and scope of other conferences.
	All expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 on the process of  (a) reopening and  (b) upgrading railway stations.

Paul Clark: No direct assessment of the effect of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Acts on the process of reopening and upgrading of railway stations has been made by the Department for Transport.
	However, the Department recognises that the Disability Discrimination Acts have driven greater improvements to the accessibility of railway stations, both through infrastructure improvements, such as those funded through the Department's £370 million Access for All programme, as well as through improvements in the policies and practices in place for the delivery of rail services.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the additional cost of works to  (a) reopen and  (b) upgrade railway stations incurred as a result of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has not made any assessment of additional costs incurred as a result of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Acts.
	The Disability Discrimination Acts have required rail station operators to make reasonable physical alterations at stations since 2004, so that disabled people do not find it impossible or unreasonably difficult to access rail services. What is reasonable is for the Courts, not the Department for Transport, to determine.
	In addition, since 2002 new infrastructure works at stations have been required to follow the standards set out in the Department's code of practice on accessible train and station design for disabled people. However, these requirements are not directly attributable to the Disability Discrimination Acts.

Lorries

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on road maintenance costs of the use of the road network by heavy goods vehicles.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has recently produced estimates of the effects of articulated heavy goods vehicles on road maintenance costs as part of the work to produce new Mode Shift Benefit (MSB) values for use in the allocation of freight mode shift grants. The estimates, and the methodology used to produce them, are described in "Mode Shift Benefit Values—Technical Report":
	www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/165226/443908/msbtechpaper.pdf
	The underlying relationships between HGV traffic and highways maintenance were investigated in "Lorry Track and Environmental Costs":
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/nera/
	which the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions published in April 2000.

M606 and M62

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness in improving road travel conditions of the high occupancy vehicle lane on the M606 and M62.

Paul Clark: The M606-M62 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane has been operating for a year and the Highways Agency is investigating the benefits to road users. Initial results suggest that those using the HOV lane are saving around eight minutes in the weekday morning peak compared with before the HOV lane was built. Those approaching the junction and not using the HOV lane are saving around five minutes in the weekday morning peak. These results are broadly as anticipated. A detailed report of performance will be published in the summer.

Railways: East Midlands

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Sunday train services operated by East Midland Trains between 14 December 2008 and 11 May 2009 ran on time; and how many such services were subject to alteration between Derby and London.

Paul Clark: This information is not held by the Department for Transport in the form requested. Reliability data for train services are held in the form of the Public Performance Measure which records the percentage of trains arriving punctually at their destination.
	More detailed train performance data for the rail network are collected and held by Network Rail. The hon. Member may wish to contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question:
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London N1 9AG

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which rail franchise contracts provide for a time extension; what time extension is available in each case; and what conditions govern the extension.

Paul Clark: holding answer 19 May 2009
	With the exception of Southern Railway which is due to terminate on 19 September 2009, all English and Welsh rail franchises have an option for a time extension based on certain criteria. The criteria may be seen in the following table:
	
		
			  Franchise name  Trading name  Start date  Nominal end date  Extension 
			 First Capital Connect Ltd. First Capital Connect April 2006 March 2010 The full term of the franchise is for nine years until 2015, but this depends on meeting performance targets. At the end of the fourth year these were met which gave an automatic two-year extension, and a further extension for up to three years is at the discretion of DfT. 
			 London Eastern Railway Ltd. National Express East Anglia (NXEA) April 2004 March 2011 There is the possibility of a three-year extension to March 2014 based on a Continuation Review. If NXEA passes, DfT will extend, but NXEA can decide not to take up extension. If NXEA fails, DfT can decide to offer to extend the franchise but NXEA has the right to refuse. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 c2c c2c May 1996 May 2011 There is a potential seven period extension at DfT's discretion, or 26 period extension by mutual agreement. 
			 Northern Rail Ltd. Northern December 2004 September 2011 There is the possibility of a two-year extension to September 2013 based on a Continuation Review. If Northern passes, DfT will extend, but Northern can decide not to take up extension. If Northern fails, DfT can decide to offer to extend the franchise but Northern has the right to refuse. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 West Coast Train (WCT) Virgin Trains March 1997 March 2012 There is a potential seven period extension at DfT discretion. 
			 London and South Eastern Railway Ltd. Southeastern April 2006 March 2012 There is the possibility of a two-year extension to March 2014 based on a Continuation Review. If LSER passes, DfT will extend, but LSER can decide not to take up extension. If LSER fails, DfT can decide to offer to extend the franchise but LSER has the right to refuse. Dates are dependent on introduction of SLC2. 
			 First/Keolis TransPennine Express Ltd. TransPennine Express February 2004 December 2012 There is a potential seven period extension at DfT discretion or 65 period extension by mutual agreement. 
			 First Greater Western Ltd. First Great Western April 2006 April 2013 There is the possibility of a three-year extension to March 2016 based on a Continuation Review. If FGW passes, DfT will extend, but FGW can decide not to take up extension. If FGW fails, DfT can decide to offer to extend the franchise but FGW has the right to refuse. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 London and Birmingham Railway Ltd. London Midland November 2007 November 2013 There is the possibility of a two-year extension to September 2015 based on a Continuation Review. If LM passes, DfT will extend franchise. If LM fails, DfT can impose an extension. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 East Midlands Trains Ltd. East Midlands Trains November 2007 November 2013 There is the possibility of an 18-month extension to April 2015 based on a Continuation Review. If EMT passes, DfT will extend franchise. If EMT fails, DfT can impose an extension. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 Arriva Trains Cross Country Ltd. Crosscountry November 2007 November 2013 There is the possibility of a two-and-a-half year extension to March 2016 based on a Continuation Review. If XC passes, DfT will extend franchise. If XC fails, DfT can impose an extension. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 NXEC Trains Ltd. NXEC December 2007 December 2013 There is the possibility of an 18-month extension to March 2015 based on a Continuation Review. If NXEC passes, DfT will extend franchise. If NXEC fails, DfT can impose an extension. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 Stagecoach South West Trains Ltd. Stagecoach South West Trains February 2007 February 2014 There is the possibility of a three-year extension to February 2017 based on a Continuation Review. If SSWT passes, DfT will extend franchise. If SSWT fails, DfT can impose an extension. DfT can extend by up to seven periods at either expiry date. 
			 Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru Ltd. Arriva Trains Wales December 2003 October 2018 Franchise Managed by Welsh Assembly Government. ATW has five-yearly efficient operator reviews which ATW must pass to continue to operate for another five years. 
			 The Chiltern Railway Company Ltd. Chiltern March 2002 December 2021 There is no extension period for Chiltern Railways but DfT has the right to "shrink back" the franchise term to June 2014 if infrastructure schemes submitted by Chiltern are not deemed to be "sufficient".

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what maximum period of time a rail passenger service can be temporarily withdrawn before  (a) the service must be fully restored and  (b) closure provisions are enacted.

Paul Clark: No maximum time period is specified under the Railways Act 2005 for which a rail passenger service can be temporarily withdrawn.

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is permissible for a rail passenger service to be temporarily withdrawn for an indefinite period when there is no time-scaled plan to restore the service or enact closure provisions.

Paul Clark: Under the Railways Act 2005 a rail passenger service can be temporarily withdrawn. No maximum time period is specified.

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions exist to allow a referral to be made to the Office of Rail Regulation to determine whether changes to a rail passenger service constitute  (a) temporary withdrawal of that service and  (b) its closure.

Paul Clark: There are no provisions under the Railways Act 2005 to allow such a referral to be made.

Road Traffic Control: Urban Areas

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information local authorities provide to his Department on their traffic management in conurbations; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: English local authorities outside London provide information on their delivery of traffic management measures, and relevant outcomes, through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) process. LTPs, and LTP progress reports, are available on local authority websites. At the request of the Department for Transport, LTP progress reports from 2006 and 2008 included information from these authorities on their delivery of the Network Management Duty, as introduced by the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Roads: Per Capita Costs

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much per head of population was spent from the public purse on roads in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2009 to date;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on  (a) new building,  (b) maintenance and  (c) lighting in respect of roads in (i) rural and (ii) urban areas in each of the last 11 years.

Paul Clark: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Funding for investment, maintenance and operation of strategic roads is the responsibility of the Highways Agency. These roads pass through both rural and urban areas, but it is not possible to allocate the spend between them. Details of Highways Agency expenditure are included in their Annual Report and Accounts at:
	http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/documents/Revised_Annual_Report_Accounts_25_07_08.pdf
	Expenditure on non-strategic roads is for local authorities and Transport for London. The Department for Transport provides some support for this expenditure, but it is for local authorities to decide the proportion of their overall available resources to be spent on roads, and the allocation of resources to different parts of their area. Statistics on local government expenditure are available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/financialstatisticsl82008

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Females

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of the likely effect of the proposed Afghan Shia family law in Afghanistan on the rights of Afghan women; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our concerns with President Karzai. We welcome President Karzai's decision to ask the Minister of Justice to review the legislation in question and his announcement on 27 April 2009 that the 'Shia Family' law would be changed to bring it in line with the constitution, which guarantees equal rights for women, and the international treaties to which Afghanistan is a party. We will continue to follow the progress of this issue closely.
	As my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, has said, the Afghans obviously have the right to write their own laws. However, we were dismayed that some reported provisions of the Bill as it was drafted ran counter to Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. This Bill, if it had become law as drafted, would have had a significantly detrimental impact on the rights of women.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Afghan Government on the proposed Shia Personal Status Law; and what discussions he has had with his  (a) EU and  (b) US counterparts on the appropriate international response to this legislation.

David Miliband: We continue to urge the Afghan Government to uphold the Afghan Constitution, which demands equal treatment of men and women, and to adhere to Afghanistan's international legal obligations under the human rights conventions it has signed up to, including the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
	As my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, has said, the Afghans obviously have the right to write their own laws. However, we were dismayed that some reported provisions of the Bill as it was drafted ran counter to Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. This Bill, if it had become law as drafted, would have had a significantly detrimental impact on the rights of women.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our concerns about the law with President Karzai. We welcome President Karzai's decision to ask the Minister of Justice to review the legislation in question, and his announcement on 27 April 2009 that the law would be changed to bring it in line with the constitution, and the international treaties to which Afghanistan is a party. We will continue to follow the progress of this issue closely.

European Court of Human Rights

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred in each case in which the Government was taken to the European Court of Human Rights after the entry into force of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Caroline Flint: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office do not hold a record of the overall cost of the Government's defence of each application to the European Court of Human Rights since the entry into force of the Human Rights Act.

Human Rights: EU Action

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 4-7WS, on the General Affairs and External Relations Council, what proposals the Swedish Foreign Minister made for publicising the EU's work on human rights; and to which officials the Presidency referred further work.

Caroline Flint: The Swedish Foreign Minister proposed that the EU should consider the following: consolidating on one easily recognisable website a range of information about the EU's human rights work; strengthening the EU Annual Report on Human Rights; reinforcing the EU's day-to-day public diplomacy in respect of human rights; and issuing public reports on human rights situations in third countries.
	The presidency referred the matter to the Political and Security Committee for further consideration.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent representations his Department has made to the Russian Government on the trial of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to monitor the trial of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We regularly raise our concerns regarding the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, bilaterally and through the EU. The issue was raised bilaterally at the UK/Russia human rights consultations in January in Moscow. Our concerns include the arbitrary application of the rule of law, due process and fair treatment of Khodorkovsky and others who have been arrested or prosecuted in the Yukos Affair, access to lawyers and medical care, conditions of detention and the alleged harassment of defence teams and witnesses.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did not specifically raise Mr. Khodorkovsky's situation during his bilateral with President Medvedev at the G20 summit. However, during their bilateral the Prime Minister and President Medvedev agreed that both governments should continue to work together to resolve the areas on which the UK and Russia differ. The Government will continue to raise specific human rights cases, not only through the bilateral human rights consultations.
	The UK is participating in trial monitoring with EU partners and the US. We will continue to follow developments in Mr. Khodorkovsky's case.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he discussed the case of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky with President Medvedev at the G20 summit; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: During my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's bilateral with President Medvedev before the G20 Summit, a number of issues of concern to the UK were raised.

Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of civilians  (a) injured and  (b) killed in northern Sri Lanka between 8 and 11 May 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said at the UN on 11 May 2009, we are appalled at the recent reports of civilian casualties. The ongoing conflict makes it difficult to be certain of the facts of the present situation, which is compounded by the lack of access for international agencies and the media, so it remains difficult to confirm the exact number of casualties. Estimates vary wildly, depending on the source. We have made clear to the Government of Sri Lanka our concerns over the disturbing reports of the continued use of heavy weapons and civilian casualties. Following the Foreign Secretary's discussions with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on 12 May 2009, they released a joint statement calling for the Government of Sri Lanka to abide by its commitment of 27 April 2009 to end major combat operations and the use of heavy weapons. They called on all sides to end hostilities immediately and allow for the safe evacuation of the tens of thousands of civilians trapped within the safe zone.

Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Sri Lankan Government on civilian deaths during the recent fighting in the north east of the island.

Caroline Flint: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said at the UN on 11 May 2009, we are appalled at the recent reports of heavy fighting and civilian casualties. We condemn the killing of civilians in the strongest possible terms. During his recent visit to Sri Lanka with French Foreign Minister Kouchner, the Foreign Secretary made clear to the Sri Lankan Government that the safety of civilians must be paramount and that hostilities must end immediately. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Bogollogama on 10,11 and 13 May 2009 to express our grave concern over the continued reports of heavy fighting and civilian casualties and to underline the urgent need for a pause in fighting to allow civilians to leave the conflict area safely.

Sri Lanka: Press Freedom

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Sri Lanka on the arrest and expulsion of Channel 4 journalist Nick Paton Walsh and two of his colleagues; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Bogollagama on 10 May 2009, expressing our disappointment at the detainment and deportation of three Channel 4 journalists from Sri Lanka the day before. The Foreign Secretary made clear our view that there is an overwhelming need for greater transparency, not less. We have consistently called for access for international monitors and the media. Our high commission in Colombo has lodged a formal protest with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the incident.

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer Question 268581 tabled on 30 March 2009 on the G20 Summit; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: This question was answered on 18 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1149W. The delay in replying was due to an administrative error.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer question 272621, tabled on 30 April 2009, on the number of records stored on the Overseas Territories Regional Crime Intelligence System.

Caroline Flint: This question was answered on 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1322W. The delay in replying was due to an administrative error.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Management

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeship  (a) starts and  (b) completions in management there were at each level in each of the last five years.

Si�n Simon: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship starts in management-related frameworks (business administration and management) in the last five years.
	Table 2 shows the number of apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship completions in management-related frameworks (business administration and management) in the last five years.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of apprenticeship starts in business administration and management by level, 2003/04 to 2007/08 
			Sector framework  
			  Academic year  Level  Business administration  Management  Total 
			 2003/04 Advanced Apprenticeship 3,400 800 4,200 
			  Apprenticeship 14,700 100 14,800 
			  Total 18,100 900 19,000 
			  
			  
			 2004/05 Advanced Apprenticeship 3,100 500 3,600 
			  Apprenticeship 13,100 1,100 14,200 
			  Total 16,200 1,600 17,800 
			  
			 2005/06 Advanced Apprenticeship 3,300 400 3,700 
			  Apprenticeship 11,800 1,500 13,300 
			  Total 15,100 1,900 16,900 
			  
			 2006/07 Advanced Apprenticeship 4,100 600 4,600 
			  Apprenticeship 11,400 1,400 12,800 
			  Total 15,500 2,000 17,500 
			  
			 2007/08 Advanced Apprenticeship 5,300 2,200 7,500 
			  Apprenticeship 12,800 3,900 16,700 
			  Total 18,100 6,100 24,200 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of apprenticeship  completions  in business administration and management by level, 2003/04 to 2007/08 
			Sector framework  
			  Academic year  Level  Business administration  Management  Total 
			 2003/04 Advanced Apprenticeship 1,200 100 1,300 
			  Apprenticeship 5,500  5,500 
			  Total 6,600 100 6,700 
			  
			  
			 2004/05 Advanced Apprenticeship 1,400 200 1,600 
			  Apprenticeship 6,500  6,600 
			  Total 8,000 200 8,200 
			  
			 2005/06 Advanced Apprenticeship 2,100 200 2,300 
			  Apprenticeship 8,300 500 8,800 
			  Total 10,400 700 11,000 
			  
			 2006/07 Advanced Apprenticeship 2,800 300 3,000 
			  Apprenticeship 8,600 800 9,300 
			  Total 11,300 1,000 12,400 
			  
			 2007/08 Advanced Apprenticeship 2,900 300 3,200 
			  Apprenticeship 7,600 800 8,400 
			  Total 10,500 1,100 11,600 
			  Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred, therefore figures may not sum to the totals shown as they are calculated using unrounded data. 2. Figures under 50 have been suppressed and replaced with a . 3. Figures for advanced apprenticeships include higher level apprenticeships (HLA) to be consistent with the information published in statistical first releases. HLA numbers are currently too small to include as a separate category. 4. Tables use programme starts/completions as a measure for comparative purposes. Full-year numbers are a count of the number of starts/completions at any point during the year. Learners starting/completing more than one course will appear more than once.  Source: Work Based Learning Individualised Learner Record (WBL ILR) 
		
	
	The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997, we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08. Completion rates are also at a record high with 64 per cent. successfully completing an apprenticeshipup from 37 per cent. in 2004/05.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter of 19 March 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. J. Harris, transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I have been asked to reply.
	A response to the letter, from the Minister for Schools and Learners was sent to the right hon. Member on 15 May.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in implementing the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in UK and international military programmes in Afghanistan in the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK is committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, to protect the rights of women and girls in areas suffering conflict, and to incorporate their perspectives in conflict resolution and peacekeeping planning. In Afghanistan, the impact on women is routinely considered as we take forward our military, stabilisation, governance and reconstruction activity. In support of this resolution the UK is funding various programmes to promote women's equal participation in governance and to build awareness of women's rights among civil society and policy makers. This includes two bilateral programmes that address issues of violence against women. The Government contribute 737,000 to the UN Development Fund for Women (UNTFEM)'s Elimination of Violence against Women Special Fund. Through this programme, Government partners and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are being supported to improve protection and assistance to women at risk and victims of violence. The UK is also supporting a five-year Women's Empowerment programme from 2005-10, implemented by the NGO Womankind. This 500,000 initiative focuses on promoting women's equal participation in governance; building awareness of women's rights among civil society and policy makers; and on providing educational, health, community and counselling support for victims of violence.
	Despite the challenges, progress has been made:
	Over a third of children now enrolled in school are girls.
	We have committed over 35 million to support the Afghan government's micro-finance programme, giving women in particular better access to finance.
	Following the adoption of a quota system, 27 per cent. of seats in the lower house of the Afghan Parliament are now held by women.

Armed Forces: Housing

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of service single accommodation properties in Scotland are unoccupied;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of service family properties in Scotland are unoccupied.

Kevan Jones: As at 1 May 2009, 577 (18 per cent.) out of 3,227 service family accommodation (SFA) properties in Scotland were unoccupied.
	Single living accommodation is classed as unoccupied when it is not routinely used overnight. However, this includes, for example, rooms which are assigned to individuals on operational deployments and not available for reassignment.
	As at September 2008, the latest date for which figures are centrally held, 3,720 (43 per cent.) out of 8,530 single living accommodation (SLA) bed-spaces in Scotland were unoccupied.
	Service accommodation can be unoccupied for various reasons, such as, being held pending due to planned moves of service personnel, is subject to major maintenance, modernisation, demolition or disposal work.

Defence Storage and Distribution Agency: Disciplinary Proceedings

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the Chief Operating Officer and Financial Director of Defence Storage and Distribution Agency has been suspended.

Kevan Jones: The Defence Fraud Analysis Unit has conducted an investigation into commercial activities at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency. While fraud has not been identified, the report raises potentially serious issues and an internal investigation has therefore been commissioned. The chief executive and former finance director, now director corporate services, have been suspended on full pay pending the outcome of this investigation.

Defence: Fife

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the defence sector in Dunfermline and West Fife constituency in each of the last five years.

Quentin Davies: The information is not held in the format requested, therefore the MOD is not able to provide these figures at constituency level. However, figures can be provided for the numbers of MOD civilian and service personnel who are directly employed at MOD establishments/bases located in the Fife local authority area, which includes West Fife and Dunfermline, for each of the last three years. This information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   All MOD  service personnel  MOD  civilian personnel  Total 
			 2006 1,790 790 2,580 
			 2007 1,670 770 2,440 
			 2008 1,540 730 2,270 
		
	
	Estimates for those people in Scotland employed directly and indirectly in industry, commerce and those companies that receive contracts directly from MOD and indirectly through the supply chain supporting such contracts, for each of the last five years, is provided in the following table.
	This information is not held in the format requested, i.e. broken down by constituency.
	
		
			   Direct  Indirect  Total 
			 2002-03 10,000 2,500 12,500 
			 2003-04 10,000 2,500 12,500 
			 2004-05 9,000 2,500 11,500 
			 2005-06 9,000 2,500 11,500 
			 2006-07 7,000 2,000 9,000 
			  Note: Figures rounded to the nearest 500 jobs.

Departmental ICT

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions arising from the operation of ICT systems in his Department under the Greening Government ICT Strategy.

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) energy consumed by,  (b) energy cost of and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from each category of IT device in each division of his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to address the effect on levels of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department of its ICT purchases since the publication of the Greening Government ICT Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The MOD Sustainable Development Strategy identifies Green ICT as a key enabler in reducing the emissions from our estate and we remain committed to achieving the stated targets provided as follows.
	 1 January 2009
	Green ICT Roadmap to deliver Government targets developed (completed).
	 January 2010
	Be ready to report on the progress made towards ICT Carbon Neutrality.
	 2012
	Energy consumption of Government ICT on the office estate will be Carbon Neutral by 2012.
	 2020
	All new MOD ICT will be Carbon Neutral across its lifecycle.
	MOD played a key role in creating and chairing Government's Green ICT Delivery Unit for the Chief Information Officer (CIO)/Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Councils.
	We established an internal Sustainable Procurement Programme Office in 2008 that has incorporated all of the key steps from the Greening Government ICT Strategy into our overarching policies and guidance for procurement. We have also run the challenging Green ICT Scorecard against our current and future infrastructure service.
	Additionally, MOD has produced a CIO Green ICT Roadmap. This is being followed in delivering the ongoing rollout of DII(F).
	Information about energy consumption, energy cost and carbon dioxide emissions from our ICT equipment for each of the past five years is not been held in the format requested and so any retrospective estimate could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid to its civil servants in bonuses in each year since 1997; and  (a) how many bonuses were paid,  (b) what the aggregate monetary value of the bonuses was and  (c) what the highest bonus paid was in each such year.

Kevan Jones: Bonus arrangements for senior civil service (SCS) staff were changed in 2002-03, and for staff below the SCS, new bonus arrangements were introduced in 2003. Therefore, information between 1997 and 2003 is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The amounts paid to civil servants in each year, the number of bonuses paid and the aggregate monetary value of the bonuses and the highest bonus in each year since the 2003-04 FY are shown as follows. Figures for payment in FY 2009-10 are not yet available.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of bonuses paid  Value of bonuses  paid ()  Maximum bonus () 
			 2008-09 64,851 48,264,950 50,000 
			 2007-08 60,820 44,762,633 50,000 
			 2006-07 56,628 41,410,114 12,546 
			 2005-06 49,091 43,310,786 14,340 
			 2004-05 46,267 34,098,823 11,358 
			 2003-04 39,522 24,901,158 9,822

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to (i) all staff and (ii) senior Civil Service staff in 2008-09; and how many such payments were made.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is provided in the following table. These figures include staff in MOD agencies but exclude trading funds.
	
		
			  2008-09 
			   Number of payments made  Value of payments made () 
			  End of year performance payments made to:   
			 Senior civil servants 187 1,500,000 
			 Fixed term appointees 26 652,327 
			 Staff below the level of the SCS 60,137 40,196,000 
		
	
	For the SCS, the size of the non-consolidated performance pay pot is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body. For performance year 2007-08 to which the information refers, the limit was set at 8.6 per cent. of the SCS pay pot. The median payment was 8,000. The Government have responded positively to current economic conditions by freezing the size of the pot for payments to be made in 2009-10.
	The total paybill for staff below the senior civil service, excluding trading funds, covered by the main pay award is 1.827 billion, of which, up to 2.7 per cent. is for non-consolidated performance awards to staff. The median payment in 2008-09 was 775.

EH101 Helicopters

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the performance and effectiveness of the UK's current fleet of AW101 Merlin helicopters; for how long he estimates those aircraft will remain in service in the UK armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The UK operates two basic variants of Merlin helicopter; the Merlin Mk1, which entered service in 1999, delivers a variety of maritime roles and the Mk3/3a, which entered service in 2000 (Mk3) and 2008 (Mk3a), is operated in a battlefield support role. Since introduction into service, the Merlin helicopter has proved itself to be a very capable modern operational platform, having already provided excellent support to operations in Iraq and ongoing maritime and anti-piracy operations. We expect to deploy the Merlin to Afghanistan later this year.
	Our Merlin aircraft are expected to remain in service for at least another 20 years, and we are exploring opportunities to extend this further. The Merlin Mk1 is already undergoing a major capability sustainment activity and we are currently investigating the optimum means of maintaining Merlin Mk3/3a capability.

Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding from the public purse has been provided to the Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society Combat Stress in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2008-09.

Kevan Jones: The following table shows the funding received by Combat Stress for the years requested.
	
		
			   Funding received by Combat Stress ( million) 
			 2004-05 2.0 
			 2008-09 3.5 
		
	
	Funds are provided through the War Pensions Scheme's discretionary power to meet the cost of any necessary expenses in respect of medical, surgical or rehabilitative treatment of ex-members of the armed forces that arise from a disablement due to service before 6 April 2005 where it is not provided for under other UK legislation. This includes the individual costs of war pensioners undergoing remedial treatment at homes ran by Combat Stress for conditions related to their individual pensioned disablement and of related expenses such as travel costs.
	In October 2007, my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Derek Twigg) announced a 45 per cent. increase to the fees paid to Combat Stress by the MOD and the Scottish Executive.

Military Bases

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which military  (a) bases and  (b) other sites owned by his Department containing accommodation areas are (i) redundant and (ii) shortly to become redundant for his Department's purposes; on what date each became or is due to become redundant; what area each covers; what sanitation facilities each has; how many separate sleeping rooms there are; what perimeter fences there are; what the postal address of each site is; and what estimate he has made of the market value of each site.

Kevan Jones: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Radioactive Waste: Waste Management

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent of 12 May 2009,  Official Report, column 753W, on radioactive waste: waste management, if he will place in the Library a copy of his response to the hon. Member when it is issued.

Quentin Davies: A copy of my response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Rescue Services

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK Search and Rescue (SAR) services will continue to provide a 24 hour service for the UK SAR region from 12 bases in the UK when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency service contract ends in 2012.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Construction: Manpower

Lorely Burt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many of the 100,000 jobs the Government expects to be created early this year are expected to arise in the construction industry.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The pre-Budget report announced the Government's commitment to providing timely, targeted and temporary support to the economy by bringing forward 3 billion of capital spending from 2010-11 into 2008-09 and 2009-10. This additional investment is already supporting a number of industries and employing people across the country.
	As the update on the capital fiscal stimulus provided at Budget showed, the majority of the public sector capital projects being brought forward involve construction activity. It is therefore expected that the bulk of the resulting employment impact will be in the construction sector. There are no centrally-prescribed rules for how the additional jobs will be allocated: the Departments concerned are responsible for determining how the funding is most effectively spent.
	As set out at Budget 2009, the total announced policy support for the UK economy is expected to protect up to half a million jobs through the fiscal stimulus, together with MPC decisions to cut the Bank of England interest rate and quantitative easing.

TREASURY

Bank Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the proportion of households with a bank account in each region of the UK.

Ian Pearson: The Government are committed to reducing financial exclusion and increasing the number of people who can manage their money by using a bank account.
	The Family Resources Survey data for 2006-07, published in June this year, show that the number of adults without access to a bank account fell from 2.8 million in 2002-03 to 2.1 million in 2006-07. The survey data also show that around 95 per cent. of households in the UK are 'banked'. The profile of banked households by Government office region are as follows:
	
		
			  Government office region  Banked households (Percentage) 
			 East Midlands 86 
			 Eastern 95 
			 London 92 
			 North East 93 
			 North West 91 
			 Northern Ireland 86 
			 Scotland 91 
			 South East 96 
			 South West 95 
			 Wales 93 
			 West Midlands 91 
			 Yorks and Humberside 91 
			 Total count 92 
		
	
	The Financial Inclusion Taskforce recently published its third annual report on access to banking. The report contains profiles of the number of people in the UK without access to a bank account, including breakdowns by region. The report is on the taskforce's website at:
	http://www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk

Banks: Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what position the Government holds in relation to other shareholders in the ranking for settlement in  (a) Bradford and Bingley and  (b) Northern Rock.

Ian Pearson: Shares in both banks were transferred to the Treasury when the banks were taken into public ownership. The amount of any compensation due to former shareholders will be decided by an independent valuer. The valuer for Northern Rock has already been appointed and further information can be found on his website at:
	http://www.northernrockvaluer.org.uk/
	The valuer for Bradford and Bingley will be appointed shortly.

Bradford and Bingley

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 417W, on Bradford and Bingley, whether his Department proposed changes to the business plan before agreeing it with the Board.

Ian Pearson: Treasury officials worked co-operatively with Bradford and Bingley in keeping with the shareholder relationship framework document over a number of months as the bank developed its business plan.

Building Societies: Credit Rating

Sally Keeble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of downgrading of the credit rating of some UK building societies; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government note the recent ratings downgrades for some UK building societies and will continue to do what is necessary to protect depositors and consumers, ensure financial stability, protect public funds and support the wider economy. The Government welcome the role that mutuals play in the wider community, and in ensuring the diversity of the UK financial services sector.

Housing: Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Government expenditure was spent on housing in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Government expenditure on housing and community amenities from 1987-88 is laid out in the Budget 2009 National Statistics functional tables available at the following link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/bud09_functionaltables.xls
	Total managed expenditure is a measure of public sector expenditure on a National Accounts basis and is included at the above link.

Job Creation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many of the planned 100,000 new jobs will be in the public sector; and what the timetable is for their creation;
	(2)  how many of the up to 100,000 new jobs he plans to create will be in  (a) the private sector and  (b) the public sector; and over what period of time the jobs will be created.

Yvette Cooper: The 2008 pre-Budget report announced the Government's commitment to providing timely, targeted and temporary support to the economy by bringing forward 3 billion of capital spending from 2010-11 into 2008-09 and 2009-10. This additional investment is already supporting a number of industries and employing people across the country.
	As the update on the capital fiscal stimulus provided at Budget showed, the majority of the public sector capital projects being brought forward involve construction activity. It is therefore expected that the bulk of the resulting employment impact will be in the construction sector. There are no centrally-prescribed rules for how the additional jobs will be allocated: the Departments concerned are responsible for determining how the additional funding is most effectively spent.
	As set out at Budget 2009, the total announced policy support for the UK economy is expected to protect up to half a million jobs through the fiscal stimulus, together with MPC decisions to cut the Bank of England interest rate and quantitative easing.

Mortgages: Complaints

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints the Financial Services Authority received on  (a) mortgages and  (b) repossession of homes by mortgage lenders in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The matters raised in this question are the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority, the day-to-day operations of which are independent from Government control and influence. The FSA wrote to the hon. Member on 13 May.

National Insurance Contributions: Local Authorities

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of the increase in national insurance contributions for employers announced in the pre-Budget report 2008.

Yvette Cooper: The total employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) for English local authority staff in 2007-08, including police, fire and rescue staff and teachers is set out in the Local Authority Revenue Expenditure Final Outturn 2007-08, which can be found at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/ro0708fin.pdf
	The additional cost of national insurance contributions incurred by councils from 2011 onwards will be considered in the normal way in the next spending review. This will be made in the proper spending review process alongside a holistic view of all additional costs experienced by the sector at this time.

Public Finance: Migration

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will recalculate Table 4.1 on page 36 and Table 4.2 on page 42 of his Department's report of March 2008 on long-term public finance: an analysis of fiscal sustainability assuming long-term average annual net migration of  (a) 50,000 a year,  (b) 60,000 a year,  (c) 100,000 a year,  (d) 6 per cent. below the principal migration projection each year,  (e) 5 per cent. below the principal migration projection each year and  (f) zero.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 18 May 2009
	Table 4.3 on page 45 of the 2008 long-term public finance report shows the sensitivity of spending projections to alternative assumptions on fertility, life expectancy and migration. The next Long-term public finance report will be published in 2009.

Public Sector: Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to paragraph C.76, page 242 of the 2009 Budget, if he will place in the Library a copy of the actuarial advice he has received on public sector pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The actuarial advice referred to in paragraph C.76 is that received by individual schemes, reflecting the particular scheme characteristics.

Public Sector: Recruitment

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to increase public sector employment in deprived areas.

Yvette Cooper: The Budget announced a Future Jobs Fund, which will provide funding for an additional 50,000 jobs in areas of high unemployment across the country. A further 100,000 jobs, as well as work placements and work-focused training, will be offered to all young people aged 18-24 who have claimed jobseeker's allowance for 12 months. We expect many of the jobs, made available through the Future Jobs Fund, to be provided by local authorities.

Stock Market: Regulation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Financial Services Authority on the regulation of the stock market.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 14 May 2009
	Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with colleagues in the Financial Services Authority on an ongoing basis. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

Taxation: Self-assessment

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs decided not to issue PA10 forms for the tax year 2008-09; and what measures are in place to ensure that taxpayers who are not required to file self-assessment returns do not pay an incorrect amount in tax.

Stephen Timms: The P810 (Tax Review) form is a non-statutory form and acts as a reminder for customers to advise HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if they have any additional tax liabilities or unclaimed expenses.
	P810 forms are issued on a three-year cycle so there is leeway in the process to control their issue. By not issuing the P810 forms, HMRC will be able to focus its resources on the delivery of the PAYE service, which replaces the current IT PAYE system introduced in the early 1980s. Priority will be given to repayment claims and other unsolicited correspondence from customers. HMRC will resume the issue of P810 forms from April 2010.
	Customers are obliged to tell HMRC of any such changes regardless of the issue of a form P810. This is set out on the P2 Notice of Coding, which details the allowances and deductions that have been included in an individual's tax code. P2 notices are issued when HMRC is told of any changes to a customer's circumstances or as part of the annual coding review each January.

Unpaid Taxes

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the outstanding cost to the Exchequer of unpaid tax over each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Figures for the outstanding amount of tax debt and revenue losses (tax and duty written off each year) are published in HM Revenue and Customs' Annual Accounts, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm
	Administration costs incurred in recovering tax debt and interest paid on additional Government borrowing as a result of unpaid tax represent additional costs to the Exchequer.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 902W, on Valuation Office, when he plans to place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's  (a) Introduction to Inspections Workbook,  (b) CT Referencers Manual and  (c) NDR Referencers Manual;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 6 May 2009,  Official Report, column 178W, on Valuation Office: conferences, when he plans to place in the Library copies of the presentations and handouts from the International Property Tax Institute conference held in Pretoria in March 2009;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 6 May 2009,  Official Report, column 179W, on Valuation Office: conferences, when he plans to place in the Library copies of the presentations and handouts from the European Valuation Standards conference held in Warsaw on 1 April 2009;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 424W, on Valuation Office: overseas visits, when he plans to place in the Library copies of the presentations given at the  (a) Russian Society of Appraisers conference in Moscow and  (b) International Property Tax Institute conference in Beijing.

Stephen Timms: These documents have now been deposited in the Library of the House.

Valuation Office

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 9 January 2008,  Official Report, column 636W, on Valuation Office: training, when he plans to place in the Library a copy of the e-learning dwelling house coding module.

Stephen Timms: Due to the volume of data the document can only be deposited in CD Rom format. Arrangements are being made for this to be deposited in the Library of the House.

Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 262, on the Valuation Office: Cole Layer Trumble, how much has been paid to Cole Layer Trumble and Tyler Technologies for work undertaken on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency to date.

Stephen Timms: Over the past six years, a total of 3.71 million has been paid to Cole Layer Trumble/Tyler Technologies for this work. This figure excludes non-recoverable VAT.

Valuation Office: Technical Forecasts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payments the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has made to Technical Forecasts Limited in the last 12 months; and to what types of properties the forecast models developed by the company for the VOA relate.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a contract with Technical Forecasts Limited to provide property value forecasts on behalf of HM Treasury.
	The contract runs until 31 December 2009 and is subject to a confidentiality clause that prevents details of the payments for this service being disclosed. The types of property for which forecast data have been prepared are as follows: agricultural land, residential building land, and offices.
	Forecasts are also provided for future movements in the prices of office equipment.
	The forecasts are then incorporated in indices prepared for HM Treasury by the VOA for use in updating property asset valuations for capital accounting purposes.

Valuation Office: Training

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) e-learning programmes and  (b) modules the Valuation Office Agency has.

Stephen Timms: There are currently 26 e-learning programmes available to all Valuation Office Agency staff. These are listed as follows and broken down by module.
	1. Creation (Address Application)
	Foundation (Address Application)
	Retrieval (Address Application)
	Structure (Address Application)
	2. Improving Customer Service (Enquiry Handling and Appeals Direct)
	Overview (Enquiry Handling and Appeals Direct)
	Processes (Enquiry Handling and Appeals Direct)
	3. Grammar (Basic English Skills Grammar and Punctuation)
	Punctuation (Basic English Skills Grammar and Punctuation)
	4. Conversion to GIA (Code of Measuring Practice)
	Measuring Non-domestic Property (Code of Measuring Practice)
	Overview (Code of Measuring Practice)
	5. Introduction to Council Tax (Council TaxUpdated)
	Legal Principles (Council TaxUpdated)
	Main Sources of Council Tax Information (Council TaxUpdated)
	Valuation Issues (Council TaxUpdated)
	Valuation Process (Council TaxUpdated)
	6. An Introduction (Data Security)
	Assessment (Data Security)
	Practical Application (Data Security)
	7. How to Dictate (Digital Dictation)
	Introduction to Digital Dictation (Digital Dictation)
	8. Ageing a Dwelling (Dwellinghouse Coding)
	Dwellinghouse Coding (Dwellinghouse Coding)
	Practical Application (Dwellinghouse Coding)
	Property Details Effective Dates (Dwellinghouse Coding)
	Recording Property Attributes on the CDB (Dwellinghouse Coding)
	9. Employee Self ServiceESS (Enterprise Resource Planning ERP)
	ESS Travel and Expenses (Enterprise Resource Planning ERP)
	ESS Working Time (Enterprise Resource Planning ERP)
	Managers Self ServiceMSS (Enterprise Resource Planning ERP)
	Overview (Enterprise Resource Planning ERP)
	10. Equal Opportunities and Diversity Essentials (Equality and Diversity In Practice)
	Exploring Equal Opportunities and Diversity (Equality and Diversity In Practice)
	Managing Diversity (Equality and Diversity In Practice)
	11. Euclidian
	12. Fire Awareness in the Workplace
	13. Freedom of Information (Freedom of Information including Data Protection and Other Information Law)
	Data Protection (Freedom of Information including Data Protection and Other Information Law)
	Other Information Law (Freedom of Information including Data Protection and Other Information Law)
	Programme Overview (Freedom of Information inc. Data Protection and Other Information Law)
	14. Asbestos Awareness A Practical Guide (Health and Safety Site Inspections)
	Hazards on Site (Health and Safety Site Inspections)
	Health and Safety Site Visits (Health and Safety Site Inspections)
	Personal Protective Equipment (Health and Safety Site Inspections)
	15. Introduction to the VOA Internet (Introduction to the VOA Internet
	16. MS Office
	17.0mnidox
	18. Continuous feedback (Performance Management)
	End of Year Review (Performance Management)
	Mid Year Review (Performance Management)
	Performance Management and Review (Strategic Asset Management)
	Performance Management Cycle (Performance Management)
	Preparing for the Performance Year Ahead (Performance Management)
	19. Co-ordination (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Defence Support Package (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Maintenance of the List (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Programme Overview (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Rating Regulations (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Resolving a Rating Appeal (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Right First Time (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Robust Defence (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	Valuation Tribunals (Rating Revaluation 2005 Maintenance and Defence)
	20. RSA Pattern Valuation Process 2005 Rating List (RSA Pattern Valuation Process 2005 Rating List)
	21. Asset Programmes (Strategic Asset Management)
	Delivery (Strategic Asset Management)
	Performance Management and Review (Strategic Asset Management)
	Strategy Development (Strategic Asset Management)
	What is Public Sector SAM? (Strategic Asset Management)
	22.Ten Thumbs
	23. The Development Process (Job-holders) (The Development Process including Assessment Centres)
	The Development Process (Line-managers) (The Development Process including Assessment Centres)
	What Route Should I Take? (Annex 2) (The Development Process including Assessment Centres)
	Where do I want to go? (Annex 1) (The Development Process including Assessment Centres)
	24. Assessment and Evaluation (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Behaviour at Work (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Diversity and Equality (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	e-Learning for VOA Employees (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Health and Safety Background (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Practical Health and Safety (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Security and confidentiality (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Use of Resources (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Welcome to the VOA (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	Your Employment Terms (The VOA Welcome Programme)
	25.Transfer of TRS Functions to the VOA (Transfer of TRS Functions to the VOA)
	26. Applications and Expressions of Interest (Vacancy Filling)
	Feedback and Development (Vacancy Filling)
	Passing the Sift (Vacancy Filling)
	Programme Overview (Vacancy Filling)
	Setting the Scene (Vacancy Filling)
	The Interview (Vacancy Filling)
	The Sifting Process (Vacancy Filling)

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects to write off relating to tax credit overpayments made in  (a) 2003-04 and  (b) 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Overpayments will be written off where there has been a mistake by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the customer has met all their responsibilities, or where the practicality of collecting overpayments does not provide value for money for the taxpayer. On this last set of grounds, HMRC currently intends to write off 230-240 million of debt for the tax year 2003-04 to date. This will be reflected in the Department's Annual Accounts, which are published annually. A breakdown by tax year is not currently available.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many families  (a) in the UK and  (b) in Amber Valley with outstanding tax credit overpayments from 2003-04 and 2004-05 had an income at the time of overpayment of (i) up to 5,000, (ii) 5,000 to 10,000, (iii) 10,000 to 15,000, (iv) 15,000 to 20,000, (v) 20,000 to 30,000, (vi) 30,000 to 40,000, (vii) 40,000 to 50,000 and (viii) over 50,000; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many families have outstanding tax credit overpayments originating in  (a) 2003-04 and  (b) 2004-05 (i) in the UK and (ii) in Amber Valley; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments at country, regional and constituency level, are available in the HMRC publications, 'Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments. Geographical Analysis'. These numbers are based on final family circumstances and incomes and are available for the years 2003-04 to 2006-07 on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	Further information on overpayments at UK level is also available on the same website in the HMRC publications, 'Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments', also for the years 2003-04 to 2006-07.
	Information for 2007-08 is not yet available at parliamentary constituency level. The geographical finalised awards publications have been delayed following a problem identified with the delivery of geographical information, although this does not affect the UK level statistics, which were published on 19 May 2009. More information can be found on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tc-delay-07-08.htm

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Buildings

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on building maintenance since its creation; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has spent 666,967 on facilities management services for its two buildings since its creation. These services include building maintenance but we do not record this separately.

Departmental Stationery

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on branded stationery and gifts for  (a) internal and  (b) external promotional use since its establishment.

Mike O'Brien: The information is as follows:
	 A. Internal
	6,783 for establishing electronic DECC branded stationery files to date. Establishing these electronic templates means we are able to keep ongoing stationery costs to a minimum.
	2,454: the cost of a mug for each member of staff, and low-cost pens.
	 B. External
	69,089 excluding VAT for various promotional items, including branded bags and stand-by savers, to support events and other PR activity as part of the Act on CO2 campaign to encourage genuine and sustained carbon reduction behaviour change. This covers the period September 2008 and March 2009. Costs include some storage and distribution.

Departmental Stationery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on the purchase of  (a) recycled office supplies in the last 12 months and  (b) printer ink cartridges since its creation.

Mike O'Brien: The information is as follows:
	 (a) DECC do not hold the cost of purchasing recycled office supplies at this level of detail.
	 (b) To date, printer cartridges have been supplied as part of IT or facilities management service contracts with BERR and DEFRA. The cost of purchasing cartridges is not available as they are not identified separately for DECC usage.

Energy: Meters

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what programme he has established for the roll-out of the installation of domestic smart meters; and what opportunities contractors will have to bid for contracts to install such meters.

Mike O'Brien: The Government published a consultation on smart metering on 11 May 2009. The consultation is available on the open consultations section of the DECC website.
	The consultation document includes discussion of the preparation programme that will be needed before the roll-out of smart meters can begin. It also sets out the Government's preference for delivery model under which suppliers would procure and install smart meters and a national communications network would be put in place to support smart meter communications. Final decisions on both areas will be taken once the consultation is complete.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to respond to the hon. Member for Billericay's letters of 20 February and 26 March 2009 on his constituent, Mr J. Adams.

Mike O'Brien: I responded to the hon. Member on 6 May 2009.

Natural Gas: Wales

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department has provided to National Grid for the Felindre to Tirley pipeline.

Mike O'Brien: None.

Wind Power

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many wind farms there are in England and Wales; how much electricity each produced in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: There are currently 120 operational wind farms in England and Wales (112 onshore and eight offshore)(1).
	This Department do not hold generation data from individual wind farms on a yearly basis. However, at present, we have a provisional figure of 7,124.8 GWh for wind power generation in the UK as a whole in 2008.(2, 3)
	Data for wind farms in England and Wales in 2007 can be found in our regional Renewables article(4) in the September 2008 edition of Energy Trends at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/trends/articles-issue/page43984.html
	(1) Source: BWEA.
	(2) Includes a small amount of solar PV and wave power.
	(3) Source: Energy trends table 5.1.
	(4) Includes a small amount of wave power.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Adviser Discretion Fund

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether the Adviser Discretion Fund provides funding to train an individual jobseeker in the preparation of a curriculum vitae;
	(2)  how much was made available for each activity funded by the Adviser Discretion Fund in 2008-09.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking whether the Adviser Discretion Fund provides funding to train an individual jobseeker in preparation of a curriculum vitae; and how much was made available for each activity funded by the Adviser Discretion Fund in 2008-09. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Adviser Discretion Fund is not ordinarily used for assisting people with their curriculum vitae as this type of support is provided through alternative means, for example, the recently announced additional support for newly unemployed people and Programme Centres. Access to these services is available as soon as a person has made a claim.
	The Adviser Discretion Fund is not allocated on the basis of specific activities, so the information you seek is not available. District Managers are allocated a share of the overall allocation (23 million in 2009/10), which is used flexibly and at the Adviser's discretion to address individual customer needs.

Departmental Fraud

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been lost by  (a) each section of his Department and  (b) each of his Department's agencies because of internal fraud in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information is not available in the exact format requested. I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 3 June 2008,  Official Report, column 804W. We are able to provide the breakdown of losses in each agency in 2003-04 and 2004-05 as set out in the following table. From 2005-06 onwards HM Treasury reporting requires details at departmental level only. This analysis is consistent with the way in which the Department reports to HM Treasury on internal fraud.
	
		
			   
			  Business  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Jobcentre Plus 71,100 36,670
			 Pension Service 600 876
			 Disability and Carers 40 11,913
			 Child Support Agency 1,812 3,338
			 Other 3,295 60
			   
			 Totals 76,847 52,857 193,030 508,235 541,679

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to involve third party drug treatment providers in assisting problem drug users identified by Jobcentre Plus.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 8 May 2009
	Yes. From 27 April individuals who identify themselves as problem drug users to Jobcentre Plus staff in England are being referred to local drug treatment services to discuss the help and support available to them. In addition to this the Welfare Reform Bill includes provisions to pilot a mandatory referral and support regime for problem drug users.

Employment Schemes

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support his Department provides to assist people who have been unemployed for less than six months to find new employment.

Tony McNulty: The Government are doing all they can to help those who become unemployed to get back into work as quickly as possible. Although the claimant count is rising that does not mean people are not also moving off benefitin April, 290,900 people flowed off unemployment benefits. Most people leave jobseeker's allowance quickly: over half of new claims last less than three months and around three quarters last less than six months.
	In November we invested an extra 1.3 billion to ensure that through Jobcentre Plus we continue to provide personal help and advice to everyone who needs ithelp in finding a job, filling in job applications and in writing CVs and advice on re-training and skills. In the Budget we committed a further 1.7 billion to support Jobcentre Plus and providers so that everyone can continue to receive high quality support.
	Furthermore, on April 6 we introduced new support for newly unemployed customers who require support to update their job search skills. The new support will be available to customers following their initial interview at Jobcentre Plus, and can be tailored for those who have recently left a professional or executive job.
	In addition, also from April, we have increased funding to the Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF), making it available from day 1 to any new customer who has made a successful claim to jobseeker's allowance. The ADF allows personal advisers to make discretionary payments to help jobseekers overcome barriers to applying for jobs.
	The Government have also increased their engagement and access to Local Employment Partnership vacancies to help unemployed customers find work. People who have been out of work for more than 13 weeks may also get help with paying the interest on their mortgage.

Income Support: Interviews

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mandatory six-month interview demands have been sent out to income support claimants in the last 12 months; how many of these have subsequently been  (a) deferred and  (b) waived; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many mandatory six-month interview demands have been sent out to income support claimants in the last 12 months; and how many of these have subsequently been (a) deferred and (b) waived. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The only Income Support customers required to attend an interview at the six-month point of their claim are lone parents. In the 12 months ending November 2008, we invited 141,600 lone parents to an interview with a personal adviser at the six-month point of their claim. Of these, 2,800 were deferred and 5,800 were waived.

Jobcentre Plus: Standards

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the performance of Jobcentre Plus in each  (a) region and  (b) Jobcentre Plus district against its customer service target for (i) timeliness, (ii) professionalism and (iii) information in each year since the target was launched, and in each of the last 24 months.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collated to Jobcentre Plus region and district level. It could only be provided at National level from April 2002 to March 2007 and at National and Jobcentre Plus Directorate level from April 2007. National level information is published in the Jobcentre Plus Annual Reports which are available in the Library.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how long on average it took to process a claim for jobseeker's allowance in each  (a) region and  (b) Jobcentre Plus district in each month since November 2008; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many unprocessed jobseeker's allowance claims there were in  (a) total and  (b) each region in each month since November 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your questions asking how long on average it took to process a claim for Jobseeker's Allowance in each (a) region and (b) Jobcentre Plus district in each month since November 2008 and if he will make a statement; and how many unprocessed Jobseeker's Allowance claims have been made in (a) total and (b) each region in each month since November 2008 and if he will make a statement. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The target for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) is 11.5 days. This is calculated from the customer's initial date of contact to the date a decision is made on their claim. Our benefit processing system calculates the AACT by taking the clearance time of each individual claim, using the dates as described, and calculates an average across the volume of claims processed. We no longer gather data at a district level but at Benefit Delivery Centre (BDC) level. Information on AACT since November 2008, in month, per region and BDC has been placed in the-Library.
	Jobcentre Plus calculates the number of unprocessed JSA claims on a monthly basis by carrying out a count across the benefit processing system on the last working day of the month. On any given day a small number of claims will be in transit between offices, so the count will slightly understate the total number of unprocessed claims. Information on the number of outstanding claims since November 2008, in month, the total for Jobcentre Plus and per region has been placed in the Library.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 860-1W, on jobseeker's allowance, what the equivalent planning assumption is in respect of income-based jobseeker's allowance.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 May 2009
	The Department does not publish an official forecast for claimant unemployment, whether in total or separately for the contributory, income-based and credits-only sections of the caseload.
	The Budget report published HM Treasury's planning assumption for the UK claimant count, which is used for public finance projections. This is based on an average of around 30 forecasts by academic and City institutions, and is audited by the National Audit Office, but does not constitute an official Government forecast. The numbers within this assumption which are assumed to be income-based cases in Great Britain are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of claimants of income-based jobseeker's allowance 
			 2009-10 1,449,000 
			 2010-11 1,830,000 
			  Notes: 1. The figures quoted above relate to jobseeker's allowance claimants in Great Britain. Information regarding Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office. They are rounded to the nearest thousand claimants, and include the impact of welfare reform measures, which will bring additional claimants onto jobseeker's allowance from other benefits. 2. The figures for 2009-10 are lower than the total claimant count published by the Office for National Statistics since those figures related to the United Kingdom, and include people who only receive contributory jobseeker's allowance or national insurance credits without any benefit being in payment. Similarly, both figures quoted are lower than the claimant count assumption published in the Budget report. 3. The figures presented above include 31,000 claimants in 2009-10 and 38,000 claimants in 2010-11 who are also claimants of contributory jobseeker's allowance. These are claimants who receive an income-based top up to their contributory allowance. 4. These figures are the average number of claimants over the financial years shown. 5. The figures quoted in the Budget and pre-Budget reports are for seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment in the UK. This is a cautious assumption based on the average of external forecasts and is not the Treasury's economic forecast. 6. The Budget report 2009 can be found at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/bud_bud09_repindex.htm The latest assumption can be found on page 221 (boxC1).

Jobseeker's Allowance: Fife

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how long on average claimants resident in  (a) Fife and  (b) North East Fife constituency received jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance off-flows by median (weeks) duration in the last five years 
			   Fife local authority  North East Fife parliamentary constituency 
			 April 2004 to  March 2005 9.1 9.0 
			 April 2005 to  March 2006 10.0 9.8 
			 April 2006 to  March 2007 11.5 11.3 
			 April 2007 to  March 2008 10.1 10.4 
			 April 2008 to  March 2009 8.5 8.0 
			  Notes: 1. Median durations are rounded to one decimal place. 2. This information is published on the Nomis website at www.nomisweb.co.uk  3. The information in the table relates to Jobseeker's Allowance claims completed in the relevant year, and does not include claimants still receiving jobseeker's allowance at the end of the year.   Source:  Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (computer held cases only). 
		
	
	These figures are affected by changes in the overall composition of claimant unemployment, which during periods of rising or falling unemployment can dominate any changes in the average length of time that individuals can expect to remain on the count. Recent changes in the median duration of jobseeker's allowance off-flows will have been influenced by increases in claimant unemployment that have mainly reflected higher inflows to jobseeker's allowance. This has had the effect of reducing the median duration of the stock of jobseeker's allowance claimants and of the off-flows from that stock.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of young people in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: Information for Hemel Hempstead is not available.
	Information for Hertfordshire is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Proportion of young people aged 18 - 24 in Hertfordshire claiming jobseeker's allowance in the last 10 years 
			   Percentage 
			  March:  
			 2000 2.2 
			 2001 1.8 
			 2002 2.1 
			 2003 2.6 
			 2004 2.8 
			 2005 2.9 
			 2006 3.4 
			 2007 3.2 
			 2008 2.7 
			 2009 5.8 
			  Notes:  1. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.  2. Data are published at https://www.nomisweb.co.uk.  3. Data excludes clerical cases.  4. Percentages are calculated using ONS mid year population statistics for the relevant year except for 2008 and 2009 which are based on mid-2007 estimates.   Source:  100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment related benefits, Jobcentre Plus Computer Systems.

Pathways to Work

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the code of conduct relating to Pathways to Work programmes for  (a) prime contractors and  (b) sub-contractors; and how many complaints his Department has received from sub-contractors relating to breaches of the code.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 20 April 2009
	The Code of Conduct is an integral part of the Department for Work and Pensions Commissioning Strategy which was published in February 2008. Although both the Strategy and supporting Code were published by the time Pathways contracts were implemented, the procurement process did not include formal compliance with the Code, as was subsequently the case with the flexible New Deal.
	Flexible New Deal will be the first provision commissioned fully under the Commissioning Strategy. Wherever possible, the Department has been working to the standards set out in the Strategy in advance of flexible New Deal implementation. Although the Code of Conduct formally forms part of the flexible New Deal contracts, the principles of the Code apply to all our supply chains.
	Effective working arrangements between prime contractors and their sub-contractors are important to the Department in the delivery of Provider Led Pathways. All providers and their sub-contractors have a routeway for any complaints via the Department for Work Pensions website direct to the supplier inquiry team. We currently do not classify complaints by whether they are from providers or subcontractors but deal with them on an individual basis.

Social Security Benefits

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit payments were paid  (a) by direct debit into bank accounts and  (b) via the Post Office network through the Post Office card account in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: The following table shows the number of benefit payment transactions paid  (a) by direct payment into bank accounts and  (b) via the Post Office network through the Post Office card account in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Million 
			   Bank account  Post Office card account 
			 2008-09 524.4 187.9 
			 2007-08 483.8 195.6 
			 2006-07 470.2 203.1 
			  Note: Child benefit and war pensions are no longer administered by DWP and have therefore been excluded.  Source: DWP, Corporate Banking and Method of Payment (COBAP).

Social Security Benefits

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of benefits were paid  (a) by direct debit into bank accounts and  (b) via the Post Office network through the Post Office card account in each of the last three years.

Tony McNulty: Information is not available in the precise format requested.
	The following table shows the number of benefit accounts paid  (a) by direct payment into bank accounts and  (b) via the Post Office network through the Post Office card account in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
	
		
			  Million 
			   Bank account  Post Office card account 
			 2008 16.1 4.0 
			 2007 15.5 4.2 
			 2006 15.2 4.4 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are rounded and refer to GB benefit payment accounts live and in payment as at June of each year. Customers with more than one benefit account will be counted for each account.  2. Child benefit and war pensions are no longer administered by DWP and have therefore been excluded.   Source:  DWP, Information Directorate.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of potential fraud were investigated where the Department considered there to be a high probability of prosecution in each of the last five years for which information is available; how many cases of potential fraud were taken to court; and how many cases achieved a conviction.  [Official Report, 17 June 2009, Vol. 494, c. 1MC.]

Tony McNulty: The available information for DWP administered benefits is in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of cases referred  for prosecution  Number prosecuted  Number of convictions  Number of cases taken to court that accepted an alternative sanction 
			 2003-04 10,048 10,358 9,027 n/a 
			 2004-05 10,915 10,295 9,219 261 
			 2005-06 9,814 10,262 8,740 170 
			 2006-07 10,166 8,964 6,861 206 
			 2007-08 10,288 10,274 7,745 278 
			 n/a = Not available  Notes: 1. All cases for criminal investigation are taken forward as having the potential to result in prosecution; alternative sanctions of caution and administrative penalty are only offered on the basis that, if refused, prosecution remains an option for the Department. Decisions on whether a sanction and which type is appropriate are, rightly, only made when an investigation has been completed. 2. The number of cases prosecuted each year may exceed the number of cases referred for prosecution due to the length of time that can occur between referral and an available court date.  Sources: 1. Prosecution and conviction data for England and Wales from DWP/DH Legal Group. 2. Number of cases taken to court that accepted an alternative sanction (England and Wales only) from DWP/DH Legal Group. 3. Prosecution and conviction data for Scotland from FIBS and FRAIMS 4. No of cased referred for prosecution, administrative penalties and cautions data from FIBS and FRAIMS. 
		
	
	Additionally figures for housing benefit are shown as follows.
	
		
			   Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 2003-04 4,601 3,747 
			 2004-05 5,544 4,688 
			 2005-06 6,041 6,234 
			 2006-07 6,023 5,860 
			 2007-08 6,611 6,493 
			  Note: The decision to prosecute is taken by the appropriate local authority.  Source: Local authority housing benefit administrative returns.

Social Security Benefits: Prisoners

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether procedures are in place to review the entitlement to welfare benefits of prisoners sentenced to custody.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 14 May 2009
	Prisoners convicted of a criminal offence and given a term of imprisonment do not get benefits. An exception is made in certain cases of housing benefit and council tax benefit where the overall absence will not exceed 13 weeks, on the grounds that loss of the home or falling into arrears of council tax in these circumstances would be an indirect and unjustified consequence of the punishment. Additionally payment of certain War Pensions and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits is suspended for up to a year and paid on release, the reason being that these particular benefits are paid by way of compensation rather than to meet specific or general needs or to provide a measure of income-maintenance.
	Details of all newly convicted prisoners in England, Scotland and Wales are sent weekly to the Department for Work and Pensions to check if any are receiving benefits or national insurance credits and for the appropriate action to be taken.

State Retirement Pensions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners received state pension  (a) overpayments and  (b) underpayments in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information about the number of pensioners who are overpaid or underpaid state pension is not held.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, column 214W, on departmental procurement, which items were purchased for the Deputy Prime Minister's Office; and if she will place a copy of each invoice in the Library.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) by my hon. Friend the Member for Tooting (Mr. Khan) on 30 March 2009,  Official Report, column 970W.
	All expenditure in the Deputy Prime Minister's Office was conducted in accordance with the principles of Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Derelict Land: Property Development

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes for  (a) social rent and  (b) intermediate affordable housing were built on surplus public sector land in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: This Department does not hold this information centrally. However, we are working with the Homes and Communities Agency and Government Departments to develop a robust system of data collection so that we can identify and record what housing development is taking place on public sector sites. The Homes and Communities Agency is also seeking the help of local authorities in establishing this database.

Employment Tribunals Service

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many actions under employment law were brought against the Department in each of the last three years, broken down by category of action; and how many were contested by the Department at an employment tribunal.

John Healey: holding answer 14 May 2009
	In each of the last three years the Department for Communities and Local Government have received less than five actions under employment law. As a consequence, this information is not disclosed on grounds of confidentiality.

Empty Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many vacant social sector dwellings there were in each region in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many dwellings owned by  (a) local authorities and  (b) registered social landlords in each region were vacant in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total number of unoccupied dwellings in each region that figure represents in each year.

Iain Wright: The term social sector dwellings has been interpreted to mean social rented dwellings.
	A table showing estimates of the number of social sector domestic empty dwellings in the last three years, and estimates for each of the last five years of the numbers of dwellings owned by local authorities and registered social landlords in each region which are vacant, and the percentage of all vacant dwellings that these represent, is provided in the following table.
	Total vacant dwellings reported by local authorities through council taxbase returns include long term and short term empty dwellings.
	Figures for registered social landlords are for self-contained general needs units only.
	
		
			  Estimates of the numbers of dwellings owned by local authorities and registered social landlords in each region which a re vacant, and the percentage of all  vacant dwellings that these represent 
			  2004 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 6,800 10,620 9,810 4,970 6,880 
			 Dwelling stock 190,000 308,000 326,000 218,000 238,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 3.6 3.4 3.0 2.3 2.9 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 14.9 8.2 11.4 8.4 8.5 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 3,470 11,810 4,310 2,470 5,970 
			 Dwelling stock 106,000 299,000 121,000 94,000 221,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 3.3 3.9 3.6 2.6 2.7 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 7.6 9.2 5.0 4.2 7.4 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 45,730 128,840 86,300 59,090 80,940 
			 Dwelling stock 1,126,000 2,989,000 2,189,000 1,842,000 2,258,000 
			 Vacants as a percentage of stock 4.1 4.3 3.9 3.2 3.6 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			   East  London  South East  South West  England 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 4,210 8,950 3,040 2,260 57,540 
			 Dwelling stock 226,000 483,000 206,000 140,000 2,335,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 1.9 1.9 1.5 1.6 2.5 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 6.4 10.3 3.1 3.8 8.1 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 2,090 6,810 4,020 2,350 43,290 
			 Dwelling stock 153,000 291,000 258,000 158,000 1,702,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 1.4 2.3 1.6 1.5 2.5 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 3.2 7.9 4.1 3.9 6.1 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 65,670 86,730 97,800 59,840 710,940 
			 Dwelling stock 2,367,000 3,146,000 3,471,000 2,247,000 21,636,000 
			 Vacants as a percentage of stock 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.7 3.3 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			  2005 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 5,210 7,740 7,320 4,990 5,050 
			 Dwelling stock 170,000 267,000 273,000 214,000 232,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.3% 2.2% 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 11.0 5.8 8.5 7.9 6.5 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 3,590 9,500 4,240 1,540 5,110 
			 Dwelling stock 116,000 322,000 161,000 94,000 220,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 3.1 3.0 2.6 1.6 2.3 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 7.5 7.2 4.9 2.4 6.6 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 47,570 132,440 85,660 63,200 77,390 
			 Dwelling stock 1,131,000 3,007,000 2,202,000 1,860,000 2,274,000 
			 Vacants as a percentage of stock 4.2 4.4 3.9 3.4 3.4 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			   East  London  South East  South West  England 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 3,430 9,620 3,210 2,040 48,590 
			 Dwelling stock 206,000 468,000 199,000 136,000 2,166,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 1.7 2.1 1.6 1.5 2.2 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 5.1 11.2 3.2 3.2 6.7 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 1,530 5,140 2,910 1,490 35,050 
			 Dwelling stock 171,000 296,000 261,000 161,000 1,802,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 0.9 1.7 1.1 0.9 1.9 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 2.3 6.0 2.9 2.3 4.8 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 66,780 85,550 100,440 64,160 723,190 
			 Dwelling stock 2,389,000 3,168,000 3,503,000 2,270,000 21,805,000 
			 Vacants as a percentage of stock 2.8 2.7 2.9 2.8 3.3 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			  2006 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 4,340 6,300 6,140 4,290 3,920 
			 Dwelling stock 163,000 241,000 265,000 211,000 222,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 2.7 2.6 2.3 2.0 1.8 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 9.0 4.6 6.8 6.5 4.9 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 3,240 7,950 2,880 1,240 4,550 
			 Dwelling stock 114,000 337,000 162,000 94,000 225,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 2.8 2.4 1.8 1.3 2.0 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 6.7 5.8 3.2 1.9 5.7 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 48,290 136,780 90,950 65,500 79,210 
			 Dwelling stock 1,137,000 3,027,000 2,218,000 1,880,000 2,293,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 4.2 4.5 4.1 3.5 3.5 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			   East  London  South East  South West  England 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 3,110 10,110 2,780 1,890 42,870 
			 Dwelling stock 196,000 457,000 202,000 129,000 2,086,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 1.6 2.2 1.4 1.5 2.1 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 4.5 11.7 2.7 2.7 5.7 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 1,870 4,410 2,470 1,570 30,170 
			 Dwelling stock 181,000 300,000 262,000 167,000 1,842,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 1.0 1.5 0.9 0.9 1.6 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 2.7 5.1 2.4 2.3 4.0 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 68,490 86,700 102,810 69,440 748,160 
			 Dwelling stock 2,414,000 3,192,000 3,536,000 2,292,000 21,990,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 2.8 2.7 2.9 3.0 3.4 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 4,310 6,440 5,780 3,960 3,210 
			 Dwelling stock 154,000 207,000 248,000 209,000 218,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 2.8 3.1 2.3 1.9 1.5 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 9.0 4.6 5.7 5.7 4.0 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 3,130 7,820 3,670 990 4,530 
			 Dwelling stock 118,000 355,000 174,000 92,000 222,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 2.7 2.2 2.1 1.1 2.0 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 6.5 5.5 3.6 1.4 5.6 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 48,100 141,190 101,090 70,080 80,400 
			 Dwelling stock 1,144,000 3,050,000 2,237,000 1,902,000 2,309,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 4.2 4.6 4.5 3.7 3.5 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			   East  London  South East  South West  England 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 2,500 9,850 3,080 1,850 40,960 
			 Dwelling stock 188,000 451,000 193,000 120,000 1,987,000 
			 LA vacants as a % of LA stock 1.3 2.2 1.6 1.5 2.1 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 3.6 11.6 3.0 2.8 5.4 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 1,770 4,650 2,600 1,610 30,770 
			 Dwelling stock 188,000 295,000 269,000 173,000 1,886,000 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 0.9 1.6 1.0 0.9 1.6 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 2.6 5.5 2.6 2.4 4.0 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 69,110 84,630 101,810 66,920 763,320 
			 Dwelling stock 2,438,000 3,220,000 3,571,000 2,317,000 22,189,000 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 2.8 2.6 2.9 2.9 3.4 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			  2008 
			   North East  North  West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 3,030 4,920 5,920 3,320 4,120 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 139,643 180,586 242,854 193,889 213,159 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 2.2 2.7 2.4 1.7 1.9 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 6.0 3.6 5.8 4.3 5.2 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 3,170 7,160 3,190 1,300 3,360 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 133,773 402,384 178,000 116,231 235,290 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 2.4 1.8 1.8 1.1 1.4 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 6.3 5.2 3.1 1.7 4.2 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 50,620 137,850 102,240 76,960 79,850 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 1,167,480 3,111,257 2,278,877 1,923,438 2,334,315 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.0 3.4 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			   East  London  South East  South West  England 
			  Local authority  
			 Number of vacants 2,110 9,500 2,630 1,400 36,940 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 164,316 435,542 182,743 117,633 1,870,365 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 1.3 2.2 1.4 1.2 2.0 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of total vacants 2.8 11.1 2.5 2.0 4.7 
			   
			  Registered social landlords  
			 Number of vacants 1,860 4,930 2,570 1,720 29,240 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 223,273 351,983 311,937 189,426 2,142,297 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of RSL stock 0.8 1.4 0.8 0.9 1.4 
			 RSL vacants as a percentage of total vacants 2.5 5.7 2.4 2.4 3.7 
			   
			  Total  
			 Number of vacants 75,200 85,920 105,110 70,270 784,020 
			 Dwelling stock(1) 2,464,469 3,281,034 3,603,644 2,329,343 22,493,857 
			 LA vacants as a percentage of LA stock 3.1 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.5 
			 Vacants as a percentage of total vacants 100 100 100 100 100 
			 (1 )Provisional.   Source:  Council Taxbase and Council Taxbase Supplementary (CTBl and CTBIS) returns from local authorities; Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix HSSA) submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities; Regulatory Statistical Return (RSR) as reported to the Housing Corporation by registered social landlords.

Empty Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant dwellings in each region were  (a) local authority-owned,  (b) registered social landlord-owned and  (c) privately-owned in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today,  Official Report, (PQs 273763 and 273896).

HomeBuy Scheme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what percentage of the MyChoice HomeBuy budget for each region for 2010-11 has been allocated; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what funding was allocated to MyChoice Homebuy in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and how much has been spent from each year's allocation;
	(3)  how many allocations of funding were provided by MyChoice Homebuy for 2009-10; and how many have so far been taken up;
	(4)  how much funding is available for the MyChoice Homebuy scheme in 2010-11; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment she has made of whether to reallocate funds from one Homebuy scheme to another;
	(6)  whether she plans to redistribute MyChoice Homebuy funding to reflect demand for the scheme in each region; and if she will make a statement;
	(7)  how many Homebuy agents had stopped accepting new applications for the MyChoice Homebuy scheme by 18 May 2009;
	(8)  how many Homebuy agents were accepting applications for the MyChoice Homebuy scheme on 18 May 2009.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answers he was given on 24 March 2009,  Official Report, column 218W, and on 18 May,  Official Report, columns1194-5W.

HomeBuy Scheme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were available under the  (a) HomeBuy Direct,  (b) OwnHome,  (c) OpenMarket HomeBuy,  (d) the First Time Buyers Initiative,  (e) MyChoice HomeBuy,  (f) New Build HomeBuy,  (g) Social HomeBuy and  (h) Rent to HomeBuy schemes in each region in each of the last six months.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 19 May 2009
	We do not hold centrally the number of homes available for Open Market HomeBuy, in each region in each of the last six months. The scheme enables purchasers to buy any property on the open market with the help of an equity loan. Ownhome and My Choice HomeBuy are subsets of Open Market HomeBuy.
	Again for HomeBuy Direct we do not centrally collect the number of homes available to purchase by region.
	On the First Time Buyers' Initiative, the following table shows the number of homes available in each month. These figures do not include homes that were purchased off plan.
	
		
			   November  December  January  February  March  April 
			 East of England 73 82 91 104 120 94 
			 East Midlands 105 107 107 113 113 121 
			 London 117 132 150 156 174 196 
			 North East 97 97 100 101 103 103 
			 North West 145 159 169 177 182 187 
			 South East 97 103 115 121 124 146 
			 South West 79 82 91 100 105 125 
			 West Midlands 28 34 45 50 53 57 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 34 35 37 37 37 37 
			 Total 775 831 905 959 1,011 1,066 
		
	
	The number of completed homes each month for NewBuild HomeBuy has been provided in the following table. In each month there are likely to be more homes available than just those newly completed, as some homes can take a few months to sell and others come back on the market as occupants change.
	
		
			  New Build HomeBuy 
			   November  December  January  February  March  April 
			 East Midlands 102 54 17 27 126 0 
			 East of England 85 79 78 17 439 6 
			 London 151 413 13 158 754 96 
			 North East 5 12 20 48 43 0 
			 North West 2 34 2 27 240 0 
			 South East 57 313 150 177 690 0 
			 South West 84 117 56 39 326 7 
			 West Midlands 35 80 34 109 204 14 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 24 27 43 30 27 3 
			 Total 545 1,129 413 632 2,849 126 
		
	
	For Rent to HomeBuy the following table shows the number of completions in each month by region. In each month there are likely to be more homes available than just those newly completed, as some homes can take a short time to rent.
	
		
			  Rent to HomeBuy 
			   November  December  January  February  March  April 
			 East Midlands 0 13 0 0 285 0 
			 East of England 0 0 6 0 94 0 
			 London 0 0 0 0 232 63 
			 North East 4 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North West 0 6 0 0 132 0 
			 South East 24 12 0 0 78 0 
			 South West 0 0 0 0 89 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 4 27 17 0 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 0 17 0 0 45 0 
			 Total 28 48 10 27 972 63 
		
	
	We do not hold centrally data on the number of properties on which Social HomeBuy is offered by landlords participating in the scheme.

HomeBuy Scheme: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on  (a) HomeBuy Direct,  (b) OwnHome,  (c) OpenMarket HomeBuy,  (d) the First Time Buyers Initiative,  (e) MyChoice HomeBuy,  (f) New Build HomeBuy,  (g) Social HomeBuy and  (h) Rent to HomeBuy in each region in each of the last three years.

Margaret Beckett: The following table shows the spend through the Homes and Communities Agency's Affordable Housing Programme for Open Market HomeBuy which includes on OwnHome and MyChoice HomeBuy; New Build HomeBuy; First Time Buyers Initiative; Social HomeBuy; and Rent to HomeBuy in each region in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Figures for 2008-09 are provisional.
	
		
			   million 
			  Product  Open m arket HomeBuy  Of which :  OwnHome  Of which :  MyChoice HomeBuy  NewBuild HomeBuy  First Time Buyers Initiative  Social HomeBuy  Rent to HomeBuy 
			  2006-07
			 North East 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.13 1.93 0.02 0.00 
			 North West 1.84 0.00 0.00 18.38 4.19 0.04 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 0.94 0.00 0.00 9.54 5.29 0.11 0.00 
			 East Midlands 1.16 0.00 0.00 16.76 0.00 0.03 0.00 
			 West Midlands 3.33 0.00 0.00 16.97 8.27 0.00 0.00 
			 Eastern 8.61 0.00 0.00 18.50 7.76 0.00 0.00 
			 London 44.63 0.00 0.00 167.03 15.43 0.31 0.00 
			 South East 26.96 0.00 0.00 56.23 31.22 0.03 0.00 
			 South West 2.02 0.00 0.00 13.95 13.85 0.00 0.00 
			 Total 89.48 0.00 0.00 320.49 87.93 0.54 0.00 
			 
			  2007-08
			 North East 0.20 0.00 0.00 2.23 4.65 0.06 0.00 
			 North West 3.81 0.00 0.00 16.85 8.78 0.32 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 2.28 0.00 0.00 11.03 2.31 0.06 0.00 
			 East Midlands 1.30 0.00 0.00 20.85 9.57 0.02 0.00 
			 West Midlands 2.58 0.00 0.00 20.35 2.00 0.05 0.00 
			 Eastern 12.65 0.00 0.00 24.44 7.16 0.05 0.00 
			 London 21.52 0.00 0.00 141.24 34.40 1.06 0.00 
			 South East 27.48 0.00 0.00 59.00 11.74 0.27 0.00 
			 South West 7.05 0.00 0.00 20.96 9.03 0.02 0.00 
			 Total 78.87 0.00 0.00 316.96 89.63 1.91 0.00 
			 
			  2008-09
			 North East 0.63 0.19 0.29 1.70 1.29 0.20 0.65 
			 North West 5.69 1.23 2.24 8.32 5.57 0.01 7.74 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 7.20 1.14 2.74 3.46 1.94 0.06 4.44 
			 East Midlands 5.94 0.89 2.03 1.09 1.15 0.00 9.44 
			 West Midlands 9.93 1.49 3.97 17.33 2.90 0.09 4.71 
			 Eastern 32.05 2.21 11.73 15.43 5.02 0.03 9.32 
			 London 69.13 5.60 52.26 93.91 6.31 0.46 42.04 
			 South East 57.40 5.76 31.29 35.67 7.00 0.12 4.91 
			 South West 19.27 3.68 8.85 11.43 3.39 0.00 4.58 
			 Total 207.24 22.18 115.40 188.34 34.56 0.97 87.83 
			  Source:  Homes and Communities Agency. 
		
	
	OwnHome and MyChoice HomeBuy are subsets of the Open Market HomeBuy scheme and did not commence until 2008-09. Rent to HomeBuy was also introduced in 2008-09.
	There has been no spend on HomeBuy Direct in any of these years as the scheme was only introduced towards the end of 2008-09.

HomeBuy Scheme: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding has been provided to the  (a) HomeBuy Direct,  (b) OwnHome,  (c) OpenMarket HomeBuy,  (d) First Time Buyers Initiative,  (e) MyChoice HomeBuy,  (f) New Build HomeBuy,  (g) Social HomeBuy and  (h) Rent to HomeBuy scheme in each region in each of the last three years.

Margaret Beckett: The following table shows the approved allocations through the Homes and Communities Agency's Affordable Housing Programme for Open Market HomeBuy which includes that on OwnHome and MyChoice HomeBuy; New Build HomeBuy; First Time Buyers Initiative; Social HomeBuy; and Rent to HomeBuy in each region in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Figures for 2008-09 are provisional.
	
		
			   million 
			  Product  Open market HomeBuy  Of which :  OwnHome  Of which :  MyChoice HomeBuy  NewBuild HomeBuy  First Time Buyers Initiative  Social HomeBuy  Rent to HomeBuy 
			  2006-07
			 North East 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.87 1.93 0.02 0.00 
			 North West 1.70 0.00 0.00 29.53 6.69 0.04 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 0.94 0.00 0.00 14.48 6.57 0.11 0.00 
			 East Midlands 1.12 0.00 0.00 22.98 0.00 0.03 0.00 
			 West Midlands 2.77 U00 0.00 23.59 10.94 0.01 0.00 
			 Eastern 8.32 0.00 0.00 24.31 7.76 0.00 0.00 
			 London 33.37 0.00 0.00 202.67 15.88 0.31 0.00 
			 South East 26.85 0.00 0.00 64.00 36.02 0.03 0.00 
			 South West 2.05 0.00 0.00 18.80 15.47 0.00 0.00 
			 Total 77.11 0.00 0.00 403.23 101.26 0.55 0.00 
			 
			  2007-08
			 North East 0.20 0.00 0.00 2.38 5.05 0.06 0.00 
			 North West 3.81 0.00 0.00 17.47 15.56 0.32 0.00 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 2.28 0.00 0.00 12.69 1.06 0.06 0.00 
			 East Midlands 1.30 0.00 0.00 22.05 9.69 0.02 0.00 
			 West Midlands 2.56 0.00 0.00 20.14 0.98 0.04 0.00 
			 Eastern 12.60 0.00 0.00 27.39 9.37 0.05 0.00 
			 London 21.78 0.00 0.00 176.67 39.14 1.09 0.00 
			 South East 28.00 0.00 0.00 69.73 21.94 0.27 0.00 
			 South West 7.21 0.00 0.00 24.72 9.89 0.02 0.00 
			 Total 79.75 0.00 0.00 373.24 112.68 1.93 0.00 
			 
			  2008-09
			 North East 0.63 0.29 0.19 2.80 1.75 0.06 0.99 
			 North West 5.69 2.24 1.23 12.65 3.55 0.20 9.31 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 7.20 2.74 1.14 2.34 1.97 0.01 5.72 
			 East Midlands 5.96 2.03 0.91 9.97 1.18 0.00 11.58 
			 West Midlands 10.00 3.97 1.57 16.92 5.80 0.09 6.18 
			 Eastern 32.08 11.82 2.17 17.25 7.26 0.03 14.46 
			 London 68.81 52.10 5.49 92.30 10.91 0.43 61.51 
			 South East 59.38 33.19 6.09 36.93 1.41 0.12 7.06 
			 South West 19.27 8.96 3.77 12.08 3.00 0.00 6.71 
			 Total 209.04 117.34 22.55 203.24 36.83 0.95 123.53 
			  Source: Homes and Communities Agency. 
		
	
	OwnHome and MyChoice HomeBuy are subsets of the Open Market HomeBuy scheme and did not commence until 2008-09. Rent to HomeBuy was also introduced in 2008-09.
	There were no approved allocations on HomeBuy Direct in any of these years as the scheme was only introduced towards the end of 2008-09.

Homes and Communities Agency: Contracts

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 131W, on the Homes and Communities Agency: Finance, 
	(1)  for what reason the Homes and Communities Agency let each of the six contracts identified by single tender; which organisation received each contract; and what the purpose of each contract was;
	(2)  for what reason the Academy for Sustainable Communities let each of the five contracts identified by single tender; which organisation received each contract; and what the purpose of each contract was.

Margaret Beckett: Pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 131W, the contracts entered into by the Homes and Communities Agency on a single tender basis were as follows:
	
		
			  Organisation contracted  Purpose of contract  Reason given for single tender action 
			 Terry Farrell and Partners Specialist advice to the Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency Recognised provider of specialist advice (unique provider) 
			
			 KPMG Specialist advice on developing a new delegations framework This contract had previously been let by competitive tender under the Department for Work and Pensions framework. This new time-limited appointment was made to extend this contract pending a competitive process under the HM Treasury framework 
			
			 Sheffield Hallam University HCA Academy provision and completion of foundation degree Time limited extension of arrangement previously competitively procured but with no option to extend (unique provider and IPR issues) 
			
			 Dr. Simon Bell HCA Academy provision of modular training Time limited extension of arrangement previously competitively procured but with no option to extend (unique provider) 
			
			 John Langford Executive management coaching and support Services required to facilitate a number of workshops with the new Executive Management team of the recently established Agency. Appointed on an interim basis in order to ensure timely delivery. A subsequent competitive procurement process has been undertaken. At the time of writing no appointment has been made 
		
	
	Pursuant to the same answer of 5 May 2009, the contracts let by the Academy for Sustainable Communities on a single tender basis were as follows:
	
		
			  Organisation contracted  Purpose of contract  Business justification given for single tender action 
			 Glasgows Group Organisation of regional masterclass A contractor was required at short notice. Glasgows had previously been through two competitive tenders for similar jobs winning both 
			
			 JSA Regeneration Ltd. Organisation of online workshopsIn A Nutshell Time limited extension of arrangement previously competitively procured but with no option to extend (unique provider) 
			 Billings Enterprises Ltd. Appointment of an advisor to the Academy Board The supplier had previous experience and had demonstrated expertise in working in this area (with Communities and Local Government) 
			
			 Dean Knight Partnership Cover for Learning and Skills Manager Post Following a national recruitment exercise the Academy was unable to recruit to this fixed term post. The transition to HCA also put the post at risk of contractual delays. The consultant concerned has previous knowledge of the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) and could fill the role until the ASC could recruit under HCA on a permanent basis 
			
			 IBP Academy To run the Raising Our Game programme in the short term ASC took over the programme from the North West Development Agency. Award of this contract allowed for the programme to continue in the short term until a commissioned options appraisal could take place on a delivery model for the future

Homes and Communities Agency: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 130W, on the Homes and Communities Agency: finance, for what reason the Housing Corporation made a termination payment to  (a) the administrator of Elonex plc and  (b) the contractor.

Iain Wright: The Housing Corporation (HC) paid a total of 39,697.64 as an out of court settlement to the administrators of Elonex following the earlier termination of that contract due to a material breach in that contract arising from poor service delivery. Since this was a payment to a supplier that gave no tangible benefit to the HC it was declared as a loss/special payment.
	The HC paid a total of 11,162 to terminate the contract. The reasons for the termination are commercial in confidence. Since the contractor did not work their notice, the HC did not receive any benefit from this payment. It was, therefore, declared as a loss/special payment.

Housing Revenue Accounts

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the Housing Revenue Account review; and when the expected consultation paper will be issued.

Iain Wright: We expect the Review of Council Housing Finance to report to the Chief Secretary and to the Minister for Housing and Planning early in the summer. Consultation will follow thereafter.

Housing: Construction

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which Government Office regions the Homes and Communities Agency reached 80 per cent. of its start of year targets for  (a) starts and  (b) completions for 2008-09.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 24 April 2009,  Official Report, column 913W.

Housing: Low Incomes

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 217-18W, on the HomeBuy scheme, how many transactions under her Department's HomeBuy Direct scheme have been completed.

Margaret Beckett: To the end of April 2009, three transactions had been fully completed under the HomeBuy Direct scheme. However, a number of participating developers are reporting high levels of pre-registrations for their HomeBuy Direct properties.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to her Department of the ( a) Homebuy Direct,  (b) OwnHome,  (c) OpenMarket HomeBuy,  (d) the First Time Buyers Initiative,  (e) MyChoice HomeBuy,  (f) New Build HomeBuy,  (g) Social HomeBuy and  (h) Rent to HomeBuy schemes has been since the beginning of financial year 2009-10.

Margaret Beckett: The following table shows provisional expenditure by the Homes and Communities Agency on each of the categories listed.
	
		
			   Spend in April 2009( 1)  ( million) 
			 Homebuy Direct 0.07 
			 New Build Homebuy 0.64 
			 Rent to Homebuy 5.53 
			 Open Market Homebuy 7.07 
			  Of which:  
			 MyChoice Homebuy 5.94 
			  Of which:  
			 OwnHome 0.52 
			 Social Homebuy 0.01 
			 First Time Buyers Initiative 1.05 
			 (1) Provisional  Source: Homes and Communities Agency 
		
	
	The figure shown for Open Market HomeBuy is the total for that product. The sums for MyChoice HomeBuy and OwnHome are subsets of this total.

Housing: Low Incomes

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 8 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 448-49W, on housing: low incomes, how many New Build Homebuy properties were vacant at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many low-cost home ownership homes in each Government Office region have not yet been sold.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1004W.
	A regional breakdown of the figures is not available.

Local Development Frameworks

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of local planning authorities in England have in place an up-to-date local development framework.

Iain Wright: The Local Development Framework is a suite of development plan documents (DPDs) which should have regard to a 15-year time horizon and can evolve over time and respond to changing circumstances. This means that there is no definition of what constitutes up-to-date.
	However, since the introduction of local development frameworks in 2004, the Planning Inspectorate who independently examine all DPDs have found 112 DPDs sound, including 43 core strategies. Between 2000 and 2007, 109 local authorities adopted old-style plans. All local planning authorities, including those with sound core strategies, can continue to use saved policies from old-style plans as part of their statutory development plan until such time as they are superseded by one of the suite of documents within the Local Development Framework.

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what plans she has  (a) to bring into force and  (b) to make regulations under Part 6 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007;
	(2)  when she plans to publish the summary of responses to the consultation, Real People, Real Power: The Making and Enforcement of Byelaws, which closed on 20 November 2008.

John Healey: As indicated in our final Local Government Implementation Plan, published on 19 March 2009, we intend to have secondary legislation, made under Part 6 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, implementing our proposals on byelaws, in place by summer 2009.
	Prior to making any such legislation, we will publish a summary of responses to the consultation exercise.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition the Planning Inspectorate will use of householder development for the purposes of the expedited procedure for household appeals.

Iain Wright: Householder development means:
	(a) an application for planning permission for development of an existing dwelling house, or development within the curtilage of such a dwelling house for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house, or
	(b) an application for any consent, agreement or approval required by or under a planning permission, development order or local development order in relation to such development but does not include:
	(i) an application for change of use, or
	(ii) an application to change the number of dwellings in a building.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Householder Appeals Service will receive representations from those who objected to a planning application which is the subject of an appeal.

Iain Wright: The Householder Appeals Service will continue to receive all representations made at the planning application stage from those who objected. However, there is no longer a specific stage during the appeal where those who objected at the planning application stage can then make further representations.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Householder Appeals Service will consider applications to demolish a dwelling house and construct another building in its place.

Iain Wright: No, the demolition and replacement of a dwelling with another falls outside terms of what is 'Householder Development' and therefore as a result also falls outside the definition of the Householder Appeals Service.

Rent to HomeBuy Scheme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) registered social landlords and  (b) households are taking part in the Rent to HomeBuy scheme.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1357W, and on 26 March 2009,  Official Report, column 719-720W.

Rent to HomeBuy Scheme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications under the Rent to HomeBuy scheme have been received; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 March 2009,  Official Report, column 719W.

Retail Trade: Planning

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the proportion of new retail development which was located in town centres in each of the last three years; and what information her Department holds on projected trends in the location of proposed retail development in the next three years.

Iain Wright: The latest available estimates give the proportion of retail properties that existed on 1 April 2007 and were built in town centres and edge of town centre locations in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
	The estimates are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Year of build  Percentage of retail floor space built in town centres plus edge of centre locations 
			 2004 41.9 
			 2005 43.0 
			 2006 42.1 
		
	
	The Department produces no statistics on trends for future years.

Retail Trade: Planning

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects the revised approach to retail planning in local plans proposed by draft Planning Policy Statement 4 to be integrated into local development frameworks throughout England.

Iain Wright: There is no set timetable for local planning authorities to take the final PPS 4 into account as they prepare and revise documents within their Local Development Frameworks. They will need to consider the extent to which emerging local development documents should have regard to the policies in the final PPS but they should not, in seeking to reflect new policies in plans, delay the plan-making process. However, before development plans can be reviewed to reflect the policy statement, the policies in the final PPS may be material, depending on the particular circumstances of the case, to decisions on individual planning applications and appeals.

Social Rented Housing: Empty Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant  (a) local authority and  (b) registered social landlord dwellings there were in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: holding answer 15 May 2009
	 A table showing the number of vacant local authority and registered social landlord dwellings and dwelling stock in each local authority area in each of the last three years has been placed in the Library of the House.

Tenant Services Authority: Public Relations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2009,  Official Report, column 784W, on the Tenant Services Authority: publicity, with which stakeholders the authority engaged through the expenditure on public relations activities; and what the output was of each project funded by the expenditure on branding.

Iain Wright: The Tenant Services Authority's expenditure on public affairs consultancy funded APCO's consultancy to assist the TSA with the development of their strategy for engaging with stakeholders. No stakeholder engagement was undertaken in relation to this particular expenditure.
	The TSAs expenditure on branding funded a single project to develop a new brand identity. The outputs included research via consultation with tenants and stakeholders and development of the brand identity covering everything related to the brand, including the TSA logo, publication styles and development of the TSA mission statement, exhibition signage and promotional items.

Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly: Costs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the residual costs of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly in 2009-10.

Iain Wright: There will be no residual costs for the Yorkshire and Humber regional assembly in 2009-10. The assembly ceased to exist on 31 March 2009. The assets of the assembly along with the majority of staff have transferred to successor bodies who will undertake the work previously undertaken by the assembly and as set out in the agreed Regional Business Plan funded by CLG.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Public Expenditure

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which grants of more than 1,000 his Department has made to outside bodies in the last 12 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am arranging for a list of all grants made in the financial year 2008-09 to be placed in the House Libraries.
	A breakdown of individual grant awards under the Listed Places of Worship and Memorial Grants Schemes could be provided only at disproportionate cost as grant claim records are held on separate databases. Expenditure on these schemes in 2008-09 amounted to 16,340,000 and payments in the year relate to eligible expenditure spanning several financial years.

Licensed Premises: Performing Arts

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the Sixth Report of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of Session 2008-09, on the Licensing Act 2003, if he will take steps to make it easier for licensed premises to have live entertainment; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We will look closely at the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's recommendations and respond formally in due course. However, it should be remembered that the Licensing Act 2003 has already made it easier for licensed premises to provide live entertainment by removing the need for a separate 'public entertainment licence', with its annual renewal exercise and widely variable fee levels. The Act also introduced a new, light touch system for small temporary events.
	However, we recognise that some stakeholders, including those that gave evidence to the Select Committee, see opportunities for further liberalisation and we will continue to seek ways to reduce burdens as part of our commitment to better regulation.

Members: Correspondence

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to reply to the letter of 3 February 2009 from the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire on consultation on changes to the licensing regime for circuses; what plans he has to change the regime; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: As I have previously discussed with the hon. Member, a number of simplification measures we are pursuing in relation to the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act), such as the minor variation process which is currently before the other House, should benefit circuses which require permissions under the 2003 Act. In addition, I remain committed to looking at possible options for a portable licence for travelling circuses and I will write to the hon. Member very shortly, in response to his previous correspondence, to set out how I think we should progress this matter.

Wirral Library Service

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his timetable is for making a decision on the Wirral Library Service following receipt of the report of the Charteris Review into the service.

Barbara Follett: When the Secretary of State announced the Wirral Library Inquiry in April he said it would not be a long, drawn-out affair, and the momentum has been maintained. The local inquiry, which has now been announced, will be convened at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, on 9 June 2009 at 9.30 am. As lead on the inquiry, Sue Charteris will then write a formal report and submit it to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State's decision as to whether Wirral metropolitan borough council's plans are consistent with their statutory duties will follow as soon as he has had the opportunity to consider the evidence. DCMS will publish Sue Charteris's report at the same time.

OLYMPICS

Inspire Mark

Andy Reed: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2009,  Official Report, column 393W, on the Inspire mark, which projects have been awarded the Inspire Mark; where each is located; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The Inspire Mark is awarded to high quality, non-commercial projects and programmes, which have been inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and deliver outcomes in sport, culture, volunteering, the environment, and promoting business opportunities. The following projects have been awarded the Mark to date.
	
		
			  Project name  Lead organisation  Location by region or nation 
			 The Suffolk Challenge Suffolk County Council East 
			 Bridging the Gap North Hertfordshire College East 
			 Cambridge Festival of Ideas University of Cambridge East 
			 Changing PlacesHome Run Peterborough City Council East 
			 East meets West Essex County Council East 
			 Essex-Jiangsu Cultural Exchange Essex County Council East 
			 Ideas Events EEDA East 
			 Light Up East Commissions East East 
			 NRE Annual Summit EEDA East 
			 Synergy: The Whitlingham Outdoor Festival Norfolk County Council East 
			 Team Essex Ambassadors Awards Essex County Council East 
			 Village green (Party in the Park) Metal East 
			 ONE 8 (One Nation for Everyone 2008) Renaissance East Midlands East Midlands 
			 The Lyric Lounge 2Funky Arts Ltd. East Midlands 
			 Walking and Cycling leaflet and poster campaign Department for Transport England 
			 Enterprise of London 2012 Games British Olympic Foundation England 
			 Free Swimming DCMS England 
			 Young Ambassadors DCMS England 
			 Time to Get Active Scope England/Wales 
			 5- Young Music into London The Office of the 5 Host Boroughs London 
			 AfroReggae UK Partnership Barbican Centre London 
			 Animation Decathlon Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea London 
			 Boundless London Borough of Southwark London 
			 CREATE 09 The Office of the 5 Host Boroughs London 
			 Deloitte Ignite Royal Opera House London 
			 Discover Young Hackney Hackney Council London 
			 Festivals of Light Discover London 
			 Getting Ready for the Games and Beyond London Youth London 
			 Grand Union Youth Orchestra of East London Grand Union London 
			 Hackney Wick Festival SPACE London 
			 Hip Hop Shakespeare Competition The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Foundation London 
			 Imagination Our Nation Kinetika London 
			 Inspiring Spaces Greenwich Theatre London 
			 Jubilee Greenway Project The Jubilee Walkway Trust London 
			 Literature and Stories Museums, Libraries and Archives Council London 
			 London Mix Watermans... London 
			 LSO On track London Symphony Orchestra London 
			 Mapping the Change Hackney Museum/Hackney Council London 
			 Newham Welcomes the World: Pass the Baton New London Orchestra Ltd. London 
			 On the right track (Art Blanche) London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Adult Care Services London 
			 Once in a Lifetime Pro-Active East London London 
			 Origins: A Festival of First Nations Theatre and Culture Border Crossings Company Ltd. London 
			 Peer Volunteering Programme St. John Ambulance London 
			 People's Record Museums, Libraries and Archives Council London 
			 Personal Best London LDA London 
			 Relay LDA London 
			 Round One The Roundhouse Trust London 
			 Sailing to Britain Tara Arts Group Ltd. London 
			 Shape Artist commissions Shape London 
			 Student Leadership Specialist Schools and Academies Trust London 
			 Summer of Sport LDA London 
			 The CREATE08 Art Award 5 Host Boroughs of Greenwich London 
			 The RHS Olympic Park Great British Garden Competition Royal Horticultural Society London 
			 Trees for the Hosts London Wildlife Trust London 
			 Various Voices 2009 Various Voices London Ltd. London 
			 West London Festival Finale 2008 West London Alliance London 
			 Beating T2D Tees Valley Sport North East 
			 Personal Best NE LSC North East 
			 Tackling Social Inclusion Issues in the North East England through Sport Durham University on behalf of Sport Universities North East England (SUNEE) North East 
			 A Century of Olympic Postersexhibition and supporting programme Newcastle City Council for and on behalf of Tyne and Wear Museums North East 
			 Afro ReggaeNewcastle Dance City North East 
			 Border Crossing ISIS Arts Limited North East 
			 Children and Young People's Festival Culturel0 North East 
			 Creative Spirits Tyne  Wear Museums North East 
			 Seconds Out Theatre Royal Newcastle North East 
			 ANDFestival of New Cinema and Digital Culture FACT North West 
			 Lakes Alive Kendal Arts International North West 
			 Neon Attractors culture northwest North West 
			 Activ8 Sport Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 
			 Fighting Irishmen Ulster American Folk Park Northern Ireland 
			 Northern Ireland Primary Schools 5-star Disability Sports Challenge Disability Sports NI Northern Ireland 
			 The Pied Piper Ulster Orchestra Society Ltd. Northern Ireland 
			 Our Medway Medway Council South East 
			 Personal Best SE LSC South East 
			 COPOR The University of Kent South East 
			 Driving Inspiration Wycombe District Council South East 
			 Lap of Honour Suffolk Artlink South East 
			 Our Sporting Life Sports Heritage Network South East 
			 Pulse Future Creative CIC South East 
			 Rings Around the World Henley Festival South East 
			 The Emergence of Consciousness University of Sussex South East 
			 Anti-Bodies: Beyond the Body Ideal Relational South West 
			 B-Side (The Seaside) Weymouth College South West 
			 Connections The Sherborne House Trust South West 
			 No Man is an Island Projects No Man is an Island Projects and Exhibitions South West 
			 Quest GloucestershireRiver Severn Project Gloucestershire County Council South West 
			 The Bristol Do Bristol City Council South West 
			 Universal Value Labculture Ltd. South West 
			 World Dance Day Devon/Open Day Dance in Devon South West 
			 Bristol Festival of School Sport and Culture University of Bristol South West 
			 Personal Best South West LSC South West 
			 Fit for 2012 (name TBC) Department of Health UK 
			 Generation 2012 The Open University UK 
			 International Schools Linking Project for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games British Council UK 
			 Joining the Game LSIS UK 
			 Lloyds TSB National Schools Sport Week Youth Sport Trust UK 
			 Make Your Mark Challenge Enterprise Insight UK 
			 Positive Impact: Understanding BS8901 Positive Impact Events Ltd. UK 
			 Smallsteps4life Food Standards Agency UK 
			 Street Champions Street Games UK Ltd. UK 
			 The Nuffield STEM games Nuffield Curriculum Centre UK 
			 Winning with Social Enterprise Social Enterprise London UK 
			 All the World one smile Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Wales 
			 Criw Cymru Wales Millennium Centre Wales 
			 Travelling Harpists Cinetig Wales 
			 World Youth Skills Challenge Denbighshire County Council Wales 
			 Extraordinary Cycles Project Launch Event Coventry Transport Museum West Midlands 
			 Museums Keep Moving Cultural Olympiad Exhibition Marches Curator's Group West Midlands 
			 The Digital Film and Media Event, Birmingham Birmingham City Council West Midlands 
			 VA's Century of Olympic Posters Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust West Midlands 
			 Personal Best West Midlands LSC West Midlands 
			 Carnegie Sporting Words Festival Harrogate International Festivals Yorkshire 
			 Dancing with the Rhinos Leeds City Council Yorkshire 
			 Night Lights West Yorkshire Playhouse Yorkshire 
			  Note:  Scotland's Creative Programmer was not appointed until September 2008. However, Scotland is looking to have one of its four UK Legacy Trust projects awarded with the Inspire Mark, within the next two weeks, with another three following suit over the next 12 months.

Olympic Games 2012: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps her Office  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to ensure that local authorities in Essex share in benefits arising from the 2012 Olympic Games; what discussions her Office has had with local authorities in Essex on the matter; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: We are fully committed to ensuring that everyone in the UK can be part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We aim to do this through cultural events across the country, more opportunities to take part in sport and to be physically active, and a range of volunteering, jobs and skills initiatives as well as business opportunities. The Legacy Action Plan which I published in June last year sets out more details on how we propose to deliver this vision.
	I am also keen for regions to identify what is important to them. At a regional level this work is being taken forward by the Nations and Regions Group (NRG) who are working hard to optimise local benefits of the games. Additionally, the Local Government Association (which is represented on the group) is supporting local authorities across the UK in the lead up to the games.
	Cllr Stephen Castle, who is the regional representative on NRG, chairs the Nations and Regions East (NRE) Board. This board has representation from each of the six county areas in the East of England and each county has a 2012 working group. In Essex a strategic board has been set up and is supported and led by Essex county council. The board is chaired by Gary Sullivan, also chair of the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership. The board has the full involvement and representation from both Thurrock and Southend unitary authorities and provides relevant and appropriate activity to maximise the benefits from 2012.
	In March 2009 I was delighted to award Essex county council a Beacon Award for its work on Olympic and Paralympic Legacy. This award recognised the council's excellent efforts to use the opportunity of hosting the games to encourage local communities to be more active.
	Furthermore, East of England will be experiencing first hand the excitement of the games as Hadleigh Farm in Essex will be hosting the mountain biking competition.

Olympic Games 2012: Northern Ireland

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her objectives are for the legacy for Northern Ireland from the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: We are fully committed to ensuring that everyone in the UK can be part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We aim to do this through cultural events across the country, more opportunities to take part in sport and to be physically active, and a range of volunteering, jobs and skills initiatives as well as business opportunities. The Legacy Action Plan which I published in June last year sets out our objectives and more details on how we propose to deliver this vision.
	I am also keen for devolved Administrations to identify what is important to them. At a local level this work is being taken forward by the Nations and Regions Group (NRG) who are working hard to optimise the benefits of the games. The Northern Ireland interim NRG member is Hazel Campbell, Director of Sport, Museums and Recreation Division. A Northern Ireland Strategy for the games has been prepared to maximise the benefits of 2012. This can be found on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) website:
	http://www.dcalni.gov.uk/index/events_unit/2012_games.htm
	DCAL is the lead Department for 2012 with responsibility for co-ordinating and facilitating the Northern Ireland Strategy in partnership with key stakeholders across the seven themes of sport, culture, volunteering, education, skills and employment, business and tourism.
	Progress on legacy in Northern Ireland is already being made. 26 Olympic and eight Paralympic facilities from Northern Ireland are included in the official London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide, including three in the Belfast South constituency itself: Olympia Leisure Centre, Queens University and the Mary Peters Track. Additionally, March 2009 saw the successful culmination of the Pied Piper projectthe first in Northern Ireland to be awarded the prestigious Inspire Mark for cultural projects which align with the values and aims of London 2012.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Fruit and Vegetables

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to encourage people to produce their own fruit and vegetables.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA has provided 400,000 to support a campaign that promotes growing your own fruit and vegetables and eating seasonal produce. The campaign is being delivered by a coalition of businesses and civil organisations. The campaign website, Eat Seasonably, was launched on 29 March and features advice and events to help people grow their own food.

Food Labelling

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on country of origin food labelling.

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made in discussions with the European Commission on proposed new rules on the labelling of food with its country of origin.

Jane Kennedy: A proposed Regulation on general food and nutrition labelling is being negotiated in Brussels. This proposal includes provisions on country of origin labelling.
	The Government are keen to see clearer origin labelling rules and will be pressing this point as negotiations progress.

Compulsory Set-aside

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the likely effect of proposals for compulsory set-aside from September 2010 on existing environmental stewardship schemes for farmers.

Hilary Benn: The Government supported the abolition of set-aside in the CAP Health Check last year, but we wish to recapture the range of environmental benefits it provided. As part of our consultation on alternative approaches we published an impact assessment earlier this year, and the possible effect on existing Environmental Stewardship schemes is one of the factors we will consider in reaching a decision.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to deal with tuberculosis infection in cattle in East Sussex.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA'S cattle testing and slaughter policy is the same in East Sussex as it is for the rest of England. It includes zero tolerance regime for overdue tests; pre-movement tests; the extended use of the gamma test; and encouraging good husbandry practice.

Waste

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the use of waste as a source of energy; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Waste wood, waste food and the biomass element of un-recyclable waste represent large untapped sources of renewable energy. Ways to encourage the recovery of renewable heat and power from this waste have featured in recent discussions between Ministers and officials from DEFRA, DECC and BERR in relation to reform of the Renewable Obligation Order (2009), led by BERR, and are continuing in relation to development of Feed-in Tariff's, a Renewable Heat Incentive and the Government's forthcoming Renewable Energy Strategy, led by DECC.

Marine Management Organisation

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the establishment of the Marine Management Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The necessary preparatory work is in hand to allow the MMO to be established by the earliest possible date, subject to the successful passage of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill.

Rural Economy

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the recession on the rural economy.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Government recognise that the economic downturn is having impacts in both urban and rural areas. Regular reports, received from the Commission for Rural Communities and Regional Development Agencies, continue to suggest that the impacts on rural areas are very similar to those in urban areas and, when compared to urban areas, the emerging picture in rural England is of lower risk, higher resilience and higher recovery prospects.

Animal Health

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress his Department has made in reducing risks to animal health.

Jane Kennedy: The health of animals is central to DEFRA's work of protecting livestock and controlling and eradicating disease.
	We encourage good biosecurity, through the 'give disease the boot' campaign and carry out risk based post import testing to help prevent disease spreading.
	DEFRA's animal health agency implements policies to prevent and manage outbreaks of serious animal diseases, thus supporting the farming industry, protecting the welfare of farmed animals and safeguarding public health from animal borne disease.

Agriculture: Subsidies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the  (a) Country Land and Business Association,  (b) National Farmers Union and  (c) others on the proposal to implement a de minimis size holding for eligibility for payment of the 2010 Single Farm Payment;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had on its proposals for implementing the de minimis size of holding for the payment of the 2010 Single Farm Payment.

Jane Kennedy: Under the terms of the EU CAP Health Check agreement, member states must implement a minimum claim size for direct payments, including those under the Single Payment Scheme, from 2010. Possible options to meet this requirement in England were discussed both during and subsequent to the Health Check agreement with stakeholder groups. Membership of those groups included the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association as well as other industry stakeholders such as the Tenant Farmers Association and environmental and consumer bodies. The options are now part of a consultation which was sent directly to over 100 organisations and is publicly available on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/sps/index.htm
	This consultation runs until 22 July.

Agriculture: Waste Disposal

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the take-up of anaerobic digestion will count towards the UK's recycling targets under the revised Waste Framework Directive.

Jane Kennedy: Article 11(3) of the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) requires the European Commission to establish detailed rules on the application and calculation methods for verifying compliance with the directive's targets. The Commission has not yet established these rules. However, the Commission confirmed in its December 2008 Green Paper on biowaste management that anaerobic digestion may be classified as recycling when digestate is used on land for the production of growing media. The UK's response to the Green Paper asked the Commission to clarify whether all biowaste from households consigned to anaerobic digestion may be classified as recycling, where part of the output is biogas from which energy is recovered.

Anaerobic Digestion Task Group

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the members of the Anaerobic Digestion Task Group are; and which organisations are represented in the group.

Jane Kennedy: Members of the Anaerobic Digestion Trade Group are appointed on a personal basis. The full list of members is given as follows:
	Steve Lee (Chair), Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM)
	David Bellamy, Sustainability Manager, Food and Drink Federation (FDF)
	Paul Bettison, Chair of Environment Board, Local Government Association (LGA)
	Michael Chesshire, Technology Director, BiogenGreenfinch and Chair, Renewable Energy Association (REA) Biogas Group
	Samantha Fuller, Waste to Energy Development Manager, Scottish and Southern Energy
	Bob Gordon, Environment Policy Executive, British Retail Consortium (BRC)
	Jim Haywood, Environment Director, Business in the Community (BITC)
	Keith Riley, Managing Director-Technical Services Director, Veolia
	David Sillett, Rural Development Manager, East of England Development Agency (EEDA)
	Richard Swannell, Director of Retail and Organics Programmes, Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)
	Pamela Taylor, Chief Executive, Water UK
	Jeremy Tomkinson, Chief Executive, National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC)
	John Varley, Estate Director, Clinton Devon Estates
	Michael Warhurst, Senior Campaigner, Resources and Waste, Friends of the Earth (FoE)
	Owen Yeatman, Managing Director, Biogas Nord UK Ltd.

Animal Products: Waste Disposal

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether tallow used in production of leather is classified by his Department as a waste product.

Jane Kennedy: The handling and use of animal by-products including tallow is governed by Regulation (EC) 1774/2002 commonly referred to as the EU Animal By-products Regulation. Article 6 of the regulation sets out the uses of low-risk (category 3) material derived from animals slaughtered for human consumption. Only tallow that falls into category 3 may be used in the production of leather.
	DEFRA does not classify substances as waste. Whether or not a substance is classified as waste within the meaning of Article 1(1)(a) of the Waste Framework Directive (2006/12/EC) must be determined on the facts of each case and the competent authorities such as the Environment Agency are responsible for the implementation of the directive's waste management controls.

Animal Welfare: Agriculture

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions for offences relating to the welfare of farm animals have  (a) been brought and  (b) resulted in convictions in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, and relevant parts of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, in England and Wales, 2003 to 2007 can be viewed in the following table.
	The Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 was repealed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which came into force on 6 April 2007.
	It is not possible to separately identify from the Animal Welfare Act 2006, farm and non-farm animals.
	Centralised records are not kept of prosecutions made under secondary legislation such as the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007.
	
		
			  Number  of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences 
			Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			  Statute  Offence description  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, Secs 1,26 Prevention of unnecessary pain and distress for livestock. Regulations relating to welfare of livestock. Powers of entry in connection with offences under this Act. 5 11 17 25 8 2 9 8 12 5 
			 
			 Animal Welfare Act 2006 S4(1) and 32(1) Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal by an act/failure to act. Responsible person permit/fail to take steps to prevent unnecessary suffering to animal n/a n/a n/a n/a 24 n/a n/a n/a n/a 22 
			 
			 Animal Welfare Act 2006, S.9 and 32(2) Fail to take all reasonable steps to ensure needs of animal for which they are responsible are met as required by good practice. n/a n/a n/a n/a 8 n/a n/a n/a n/a 8 
			 n/a = Not applicable  Notes: 1. These data are on the principal offence basis. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3. The Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 was repealed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which came into force on 6 April 2007. 4. It is not possible to separately identify those animals that were farm and non farm from the Animal Welfare Act 2006  Source:  OCJRE and A: Office for Criminal Justice ReformEvidence and Analysis Unit

Animals: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the potential health threat to native British wildlife from the illegal importation of wildlife; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA publishes an 'International Disease Monitoring Report' every month and where necessary produces 'Preliminary Outbreak Assessments (POA)' and 'Qualitative Risk Assessments (QRA)', which consider the likely effect of the disease outbreak on the UK. The QRA also assesses the likelihood of the disease entering the UK through the legal or illegal movement of animals affected by the disease in question.
	The nature of illegal activity means that it is difficult to quantify the risk posed. That is why the UK has robustly enforced import requirements for pets and commercially traded animals.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has allocated to scientific research into the causes of and vaccination against bovine tuberculosis in 2009-10.

Hilary Benn: DEFRA has allocated 9.4 million to scientific research into the causes of, and vaccination against, bovine tuberculosis in 2009-10.

Compost: Mushrooms

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on odour emissions from the mushroom composting industry.

Jane Kennedy: I have received representations on the subject from my hon. Friend and also from Misson parish council.

Flood and Water Management Bill (Draft)

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable he has set for consideration of responses to the consultation on the draft Flood and Water Management Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We published the draft Bill on 21 April. The public consultation period closes on 24 July and we hope that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee will be able to report on its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill before the summer recess. The Government would then intend to respond to both exercises when the House returns in the autumn.

Food Supply

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the inclusion of proposals to address hunger and food scarcity in his Department's forthcoming White Paper on food security;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had in relation to the inclusion of relief and social protection measures in his Department's forthcoming White Paper on food security.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA has responsibility within Government for leading the development and delivery of policy on food production and supply across the UK, and works closely with DFID which leads on delivery of global food security. DFID is currently preparing a white paper on International DevelopmentBuilding our common future, and the Secretary of State has recently written to Douglas Alexander highlighting the importance of ensuring that food security and sustainable natural resource management are covered in it. DEFRA will also be producing an assessment of the UK's food security later this year and this will include some assessment of food security at the household level.

Grocery Trade: Competition

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the Competition Commission's proposal for an ombudsman to monitor and enforce compliance with a groceries supply code of practice.

Hilary Benn: The Competition Commission is seeking undertakings from the grocery retailers covered by the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) to establish an ombudsman to monitor and enforce compliance with the GSCOP. The deadline for replies to its consultation exercise is 28 May.
	The creation of an ombudsman currently remains with the Competition Commission and no formal recommendation has been made to the Government. If the Competition Commission is unsuccessful in establishing the ombudsman within a reasonable period of time, the Competition Commission will formally return the matter to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for consideration.
	Representatives of Sainsbury's and Waitrose have met DEFRA officials to give their view of the proposals. On the same basis the NFU has provided officials with a paper from Cardiff Business School, and Asda and the Association of Convenience Stores have provided their views by correspondence.

Recycling: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste was recycled in each London local authority area  (a) in total and  (b) on average per head of the population in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2007-08.

Jane Kennedy: The following table shows, for each local authority in London for the financial years 2005-06 and 2007-08, municipal waste sent for recycling, composting and reuse as both tonnages and quantity generated per person per year in kilogrammes.
	
		
			   Tonnes of municipal waste collected for recycling, composting and reuse  Municipal waste collected for recycling, composting and reuse per person per year (kg) 
			   2005 - 06  2007 - 08  2005 - 06  2007 - 08 
			 Barking and Dagenham LB 7,158 21,788 44 131 
			 Barnet LB 39,564 46,271 120 140 
			 Bexley LB 45,808 48,976 208 221 
			 Brent LB 23,553 24,529 87 91 
			 Bromley LB 41,228 49,580 137 165 
			 Camden LB 20,783 22,625 92 98 
			 City of London 1,000 3,300 109 413 
			 Croydon LB 31,800 43,666 93 129 
			 Ealing LB 28,506 34,351 94 113 
			 Enfield LB 32,631 36,825 116 129 
			 Greenwich LB 23,220 32,152 102 144 
			 Hackney LB 12,501 19,173 60 91 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham LB 13,031 16,623 72 96 
			 Haringey LB 16,172 24,969 72 111 
			 Harrow LB 27,658 39,328 129 183 
			 Havering LB 10,423 29,967 46 131 
			 Hillingdon LB 34,055 41,041 135 164 
			 Hounslow LB 24,585 23,797 116 108 
			 Islington LB 14,944 21,369 82 114 
			 Lambeth LB 20,562 23,529 76 86 
			 Lewisham LB 14,361 26,567 58 103 
			 Merton LB 17,741 22,758 91 114 
			 Newham LB 6,119 20,490 25 82 
			 Redbridge LB 12,181 25,003 48 98 
			 Richmond upon Thames LB 29,585 35,719 159 198 
			 Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 13,610 19,532 69 109 
			 Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 28,696 17,959 188 114 
			 Southwark LB 18,206 26,071 71 95 
			 Sutton LB 27,041 26,711 152 144 
			 Tower Hamlets LB 7,192 12,322 34 57 
			 Waltham Forest LB 22,659 33,214 101 149 
			 Wandsworth LB 21,403 26,290 76 93 
			 Westminster City Council 17,204 21,473 70 92 
			  Note: For 2005-06, ONS mid year population figures 2005 have been used and for 2007-08 ONS mid year population figures 2007 have been used.  Source: WasteDataFlow

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Adoption: Greater London

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities have received Government funding for adoption target levels in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available; and how much Government funding was granted in each such year.

Beverley Hughes: A total of 970,547.40 has been claimed to date against the three year local public sector agreement (LPSA) adoption targets agreed by the then Department for Education and Skills and local authorities that ended in 2007-08. Since LPSA Performance Reward Grant (PRG) is claimed and paid in two instalments, to date half of this amount has been paid, with the remainder due in 2009-10.
	
		
			  Local authority  Total PRG paid () 
			 East Riding of York 328,409.38 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 489,810.42 
			 Lewisham 152,327.60 
			 Total 970,547.40 
		
	
	For funding prior to 2007-08, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 3 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1702W.

Children: Care homes

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect on provision of welfare beds in secure children's homes of the decision of the Youth Justice Board to reduce the number of justice beds in such homes.

Beverley Hughes: It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the need for, and availability of, welfare beds in secure children's homes as part of their duty to ensure that there is sufficient children's home provision. Local authorities can obtain support in this role from the DCSF Commissioning Support Programme which will offer Children's Trusts bespoke support based on their needs and focus on key areas of concern.
	It is likely that following the Youth Justice Board's decision some homes may decide to close. However, the effect on the overall provision of welfare beds will depend upon the decisions made by the providers of the remaining homes about the number of welfare beds they wish to provide, taking into account likely demand from local authorities. DCSF is working closely with the YJB and the providers of the homes to monitor future developments and the YJB has made funding available to support those homes who lost contracts to help them develop sustainable provision of welfare beds.

Children: Day Care

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many out-of-school and holiday play scheme places were available for children aged  (a) four and under,  (b) five to 11 and  (c) 11 years and over in each London local authority in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007-08.

Beverley Hughes: Information is not available specifically for the age groups requested. Available information on children aged under eight is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number( 1)  of registered out of school and holiday scheme child care places for children under eight years of age: Position at 31 March each year 
			   Out of school clubs  Holiday schemes 
			  Local authority area  1997( 2)  2008( 3)  1997( 2)  2008( 3,4) 
			  Inner London(6) 
			 Camden (5) 1,800 (5) (6) 
			 City of London 70 100 70 (6) 
			 Hackney 1,100 2,700 2,300 (6) 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (5) 800 (5) (6) 
			 Haringey 200 1,800 1,300 (6) 
			 Islington 1,100 1,600 1,500 (6) 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 700 1,500 3,100 (6) 
			 Lambeth (5) 2,100 (5) (6) 
			 Lewisham 1,000 2,200 1,000 (6) 
			 Newham 200 1,500 1,200 (6) 
			 Southwark 2,100 4,100 2,300 (6) 
			 Tower Hamlets (5) 1,600 (5) (6) 
			 Wandsworth 1,000 3,500 3,500 (6) 
			 Westminster 700 1,000 3,000 (6) 
			  
			  Outer London 
			 Barking and Dagenham 200 800 1,200 (6) 
			 Barnet 300 2,500 2,900 (6) 
			 Bexley 200 1,000 500 (6) 
			 Brent 300 1,400 (5) (6) 
			 Bromley 300 2,400 1,100 (6) 
			 Croydon 700 3,500 700 (6) 
			 Ealing 500 2,200 400 (6) 
			 Enfield 300 2,000 700 (6) 
			 Greenwich 200 2,800 200 (6) 
			 Harrow 200 1,500 1,100 (6) 
			 Havering 300 1,100 400 (6) 
			 Hillingdon 100 1,300 1,100 (6) 
			 Hounslow 600 1,300 2,200 (6) 
			 Kingston upon Thames 300 1,500 2,300 (6) 
			 Merton 300 1,900 3,500 (6) 
			 Redbridge 200 1,600 2,300 (6) 
			 Richmond Upon Thames 400 1,800 4,900 (6) 
			 Sutton 100 1,400 800 (6) 
			 Waltham Forest (5) 2,300 (5) (6) 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100. (2) Data Source: Children's Daycare Facilities Survey (3) Data Source: Ofsted (4) Ofsted do not collect information on holiday scheme childcare places. (5) Data not available. (6) Data not collected.

Children: Expenditure

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what pilot schemes his Department has initiated to assist families with children in each year since 2001; what the cost was of each such scheme; how many families were involved in each such scheme; what evaluation was undertaken in respect of each such scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We have undertaken a wide range of pilots since 2001 which have added considerably to our understanding of what works to improve outcomes for families and children. The key pilots targeted specifically at families are listed in the following table.
	
		
			  Name of pilot  Period it ran for  Total spent or committed for pilot period  Number of families  benefiting  Where the evaluation is published 
			 Parent support adviser pilot September 2006 to August 2008 in  20 LAs. 40 million 20,000+ parents were formally recorded as working with a PSA. Interim reports were published in 2007 and 2008, (access reports here). The final evaluation report will be published summer 2009. 
			 Family pathfinder May 2008 until March 2011 16 million To develop and test the think family approach in 15 areas, ensuring that adult and children's services work together more effectively in supporting families with complex needs, and testing the approach in supporting young carers to prevent them taking on inappropriate caring roles. Evaluation currently being carried out by York consulting. Final evaluation due to be published spring 2011. 
			 Parenting early intervention pathfinder September 2006 to March 2008 10 million 425 courses involving 3,575 parents of children and young people (aged 8-13 years old) at risk of poor outcomes. Evaluation report can be accessed here 
			 Family intervention projects 53 projects set up over January 2006 to March 2008; now being rolled out to all local authorities. 15 million 1,195 families most at risk of anti-social behaviour supported January 2006 to March 2008. Report published in December 2007 on DCSF website. 
			 Child poverty family intervention projects Ongoing October 2008 to March 2011. 12.5 million Testing the family intervention project model with a wider range of families where there are significant barriers to work such as substance misuse and domestic violence. Evaluation just started, plans for publishing still to be finalised. 
			 Netmums parent support advisers February 2008 to June 2009 484,000 (1)44,542 To be published summer 2009. 
			 The couple connection February 2008 to June 2009 472,000 (1)17,292 To be published summer 2009 
			 Dads space February 2008 to June 2009 517,000 (1)19,760 To be published summer 2009 
			 One space February 2008 to June 2009 275,000 (1)15,472 To be published summer 2009 
			 Got a teenager February 2008 to June 2009 571,000 (1)48,989 To be published summer 2009 
			 Contact a family March 2008 to June 2009 128,000 (1)41,249 To be published summer 2009 
			 Dad talk February 2008 to June 2009 190,000 (1)8,365 To be published summer 2009 
			 Relate SMS and livetalk March 2008 to June 2009 372,000 (1)1.081 To be published summer 2009 
			 Ask ACE January 2008 to June 2009 566,000 (1)1,644 To be published summer 2009 
			 Parentline plus extended telephone support 1 April 2008 to  31 March 2011 1,603,000 (1)6,610 Evaluation due July 2009 
			 Transition information sessions demonstration project 2006 to 2008 7 million The pilot ran in up to 50 schools, serving a cohort of parents with a child joining reception class or year 7, in each of nine LAs in 2006/2007 and 20 LAs in 2007/2008. An evaluation report by Ecotec Research and Consulting Limited is posted on the DCSF Research site. 
			 The early learning partnerships project October 2006 to March 2008 Approximately 6 million Nine voluntary sector agencies used 12 different approaches across 20 demonstration sites to encourage and develop practices which could help parents of children aged one to three (who were at risk of learning delay) to engage with their children's learning. Number of individual families/parents reached not known. Published on 25 June 2008 as DCSF-RR039/DCSF-RB039 available on DCSF website. 
			 (1) Parents who used the service, statistics collected up to 31 December 2008.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what timetable he has set for revising  (a) statutory guidance on Working Together to Safeguard Children and  (b) the guidance and systems used by hospital accident and emergency departments in relation to safeguarding children in response to Lord Laming's recommendations.

Beverley Hughes: As stated on page 6 of 'The protection of children in England: action planThe Government's response to Lord Laming', published on 6 May, revised statutory guidance, 'Working Together to Safeguard Children', will be completed by the end of 2009 following consultation. Page 34 explains that the Department of Health and the Department for Children Schools and Families will work with the College of Emergency Medicine and others to take forward work to ensure that systems, guidance and training are in place so that all A and E departments are playing their full part in identifying and dealing appropriately with children at risk. Recommendations will be produced by December 2009 that take account of the cost and affordability of implementation.

Children: Protection

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether there is a statutory duty on schools to designate a child protection teacher.

Beverley Hughes: Although there is no specific statutory duty on schools to designate a child protection teacher, schools do have a duty under sections 175 and 157 of the Education Act 2002 to have regard to any guidance given to them from time to time by the Secretary of State when considering what arrangements they need to make with regard to the welfare of children. Guidance contained in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007 makes clear that a senior member of the school's leadership team should be designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues.

Children: Protection

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the number of schools with a designated child protection teacher; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The Department do not collect this information. School governing bodies and proprietors of independent schools are responsible for ensuring that their establishment has effective policies and procedures in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in accordance with guidance issued under sections 157 and 175 of the Education Act 2002. Guidance in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007 makes clear that a senior member of the school's leadership team should be designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues. In some schools it may be necessary to have more than one designated person, and in all schools a deputy should be available to act in the designated person's absence.

Departmental Correspondence

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that all its correspondence conforms to the font size requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department appreciates that clear, concise and legible communications are critical to promoting equality for disabled people. The Department is committed to ensuring that all its communications, both internal and with people beyond the Department, are accessible. Our business correspondence system requires that all e-mails and letters sent by the Department are in a 12-point font size and we have published guidance to encourage all staff to comply.

Pupil Referral Units

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which pupil referral units were placed in special measures in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. The information was included in HMCI Christine Gilbert's reply given on 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1312W.

Schools Recruitment Service

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when the Schools Recruitment Service was originally planned to be launched; when he expects it to be launched; and what the reasons are for the difference;
	(2)  how much his Department has spent on the procurement, development and implementation of the Schools Recruitment Service.

Jim Knight: The Schools Recruitment Service was originally scheduled for launch in spring 2009. This has now been rescheduled to launch in September 2009. There have been delays as a result of the Department ensuring the need for this service is robust and fit for purpose for our schools and local authorities to use and a request from prospective suppliers during the procurement process for more time to respond to the requirement.
	It is not possible to give an exact figure on the costs for the Schools Recruitment Service as it forms part of the wider Education Sector Shared Services programme. The budget for this programme for 2008-09 was 647,500.

Social Work: Education

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many people have enrolled on a social work degree course in each year since 2003;
	(2)  how many people have graduated with a degree in social work in each year since 2003;
	(3)  how many social work graduates have entered the social work profession in each year since 2003.

Beverley Hughes: The General Social Care Council registers both social work students and practicing social workers.
	The number of social work graduates entering the social work profession is not recorded by the General Social Care Council; however they do record the number of students enrolled on the course each year (line A in the following table) and the number that have graduated with a degree since 2003 (line B). The Council also holds information on the year in which all social workers who are currently registered with them achieved their qualification.
	Line C in the table shows the year of graduation for currently registered social workers who hold the social work degree.
	
		
			2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 A. Number of people enrolled on the social work degree since 2003 2,582 4,748 6,065 5,731 5,323 
			 B. Number of people who have graduated with a social work degree since 2003  4 1,037 2,976 4,439 
			 C. Number of graduates currently registered as social workers  4 955 2,754 3,925

Social Workers: Assessments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he has made a recent assessment of the standard required to achieve a pass mark in social work degree examinations for those who work with children.

Beverley Hughes: Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) determine the requirements for a pass mark in accordance with their internal academic quality assurance procedures which validate degrees and ensure they are fit for purpose. The internal quality assurance procedures are overseen by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
	The General Social Care Council (GSCC) regulates and promotes standards of delivery of the social work degree and quality assures social work education. It also accredits HEIs offering social work qualifications at both qualifying and post-qualifying levels.
	The Secretaries of State for Children, Schools and Families and for Health are committed to ensuring that social worker training is highly effective. They have established a Social Work Task Force which will make recommendations on how to drive forward long term reform of social work, including in response to many issues raised in Lord Laming's recent report The Protection of Children in England on the areas of training, practice, recruitment and leadership.

Social Workers: Pay

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average  (a) starting salary and  (b) salary of a child social worker is.

Beverley Hughes: Children and families' social workers are employed in a range of organisations in the statutory, private and third sectors. Their salaries are determined at a local level and the Department for Children, Schools and Families does not directly collect information about this.
	In their 2006 Children's, Young People's and Families' Social Care Workforce Survey, the Local Government Analysis and Research group (LGAR) estimated the average (mean) minimum salary for a children and families' social worker employed in a local authority in England to be 22,513.
	In their Children's, Young People's and Families' Social Care Pay and Workforce Survey 2007, LGAR estimated the average (mean) salary for all social workers employed by local authorities in England and Wales to be 28,389.

Young People: Crime Prevention

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 478-81W, on the youth inclusion programme, which  (a) primary,  (b) secondary and  (c) special schools are situated on each estate;
	(2)  which schools are taking part in the youth inclusion programme in each local authority area.

Beverley Hughes: The names of schools engaged in Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs) are not collected centrally.
	All YIPs work with the schools in their catchment area. These will usually be secondary schools, unless it is a Junior YIP (for eight to 12-year-olds). A representative from each of the schools in the area is invited to the multi-agency meeting which identifies the 50 young people for the programme. These are the 50 young people who are deemed to be most at risk of exclusion, truancy or offending in their area.
	Some YIPs employ teachers and deliver an education programme to those who are excluded from school, or on the verge of exclusion, so that the young people are reintegrated into school on a full-time basis. YIP workers also work on a one-to-one basis with young people in school in some cases.

JUSTICE

Appeals: Incapacity Benefit

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average waiting time for adjudication on appeals made by individuals removed from eligibility for incapacity benefit payments was in the last period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The average waiting time for incapacity benefit appeals for the financial year 2008-09 was 10.9 weeks.

Bribery Bill: Draft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2009,  Official Report, column 220W, on Bribery Bill: draft, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter from the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Maria Eagle: A copy of the letter was placed in the House of Commons Library on 6 May 2009.

Departmental ICT

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many and what proportion of computers in his Department malware was detected in 2008.

Jack Straw: It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for Departments to confirm this information.
	The Ministry of Justice complies with Mandatory Requirement 39 of the Security Policy Framework which requires a policy on managing risks posed by all forms of malicious software (malware).

Departmental Internet

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) page impressions and  (b) visitors his Department's website received in each of the last three financial years.

Jack Straw: The figures given in the table are for the departmental website www.justice.gov.uk for the last two financial years since the creation of the Ministry of Justice in May 2007. Visits are included in these figures as they provide a more accurate measure of website usage.
	
		
			   Number 
			  9 May 2007 to 31 March 2008  
			 Page impressions 7,783,155 
			 Visits 2,361,813 
			 Visitors 1,689,202 
			   
			  1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009  
			 Page impressions 12,942,753 
			 Visits 4,231,791 
			 Visitors 3,225,310

Departmental Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) BlackBerry devices and  (b) mobile telephones have been lost by (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department and its predecessor in each year since 2005.

Jack Straw: Mobile phones are managed at a local level across much of the Department. Consequently, full records are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table shows mobile phone losses for MOJ HQ, National Offender Management Service (NOMS) (including Her Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS)) and the Office of Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) only. Blackberry loss figures cover Ministry of Justice (MOJ) HQ, NOMS, HMPS, NPS and OCJR:
	
		
			   Black Be rry  Mobile phones 
			 2005 0 24 
			 2006 0 19 
			 2007 1 20 
			 2008 14 42 
			 2009 (to 31 March) 6 14 
		
	
	The above information relates to losses by civil servants. As a matter of process, all mobile phones and BlackBerrys that are registered as lost (or stolen) are blocked, making it impossible for them to be used.
	2008-09 records show that one BlackBerry was lost by a Minister. No losses of BlackBerrys or mobile phones for special advisers were recorded in the 2008-09 period. Records for previous years do not separate out this information, which therefore cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Stationery

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on branded stationery and gifts for  (a) internal and  (b) external promotional use in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Figures are not held centrally across the Ministry of Justice as within business groups expenditure is not routinely separately recorded; to provide the information on spend on branded stationery and gifts for internal/external promotional use would be disproportionate to cost.

Departmental Written Questions

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many questions for written answer have been tabled to his Department in Session  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09 to date; and how many in each case have been (i) answered substantively and (ii) not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost.

Jack Straw: 5,304 questions were tabled to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in the 2007-08 Session. The information requested on how many were answered and not answered due to disproportionate cost is not held centrally and would require a manual check of the answer to each of the 5,304 questions.
	However, the database was adapted at the start of the current session and the information gathered shows that MOJ has had 2,562 questions tabled from 3 December 2008 to 15 May 2009 of which 2,257 have been answered substantively, 104 have been answered with partial information or with disproportionate cost answer, 191 have been transferred to other Departments and 10 have been withdrawn.

Driving Offences: Foreigners

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many foreign nationals in charge of  (a) cars,  (b) heavy goods vehicles and  (c) light goods vehicles have been prosecuted for causing (i) death and (ii) injury to (A) pedestrians, (B) cyclists and (C) other drivers in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many foreign nationals in charge of  (a) cars,  (b) heavy goods vehicles and  (c) light goods vehicles have been (i) charged with and (ii) prosecuted for driving offences in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: Information collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not include nationality of the defendant.

Lindholme Prison

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) UK and  (b) foreign national prisoners were in detention in Lindholme prison in each of the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: The following table gives the numbers of  (a) UK national and  (b) foreign national prisoners there were at quarter-year intervals between March 2008 and March 2009 in Lindholme prison.
	
		
			   Total population  Foreign nationals  UK nationals  Nationality not recorded 
			 March 2009 1,122 226 896 0 
			 December 2008 1,101 176 876 49 
			 September 2008 1,108 162 900 46 
			 June 2008 1,069 135 897 37 
			 March 2008 1,093 152 898 43 
		
	
	These figures include foreign national prisoners serving their sentence, those on remand pending prosecution and those being held under immigration powers pending deportation action.
	A prisoner's nationality in respect of these records is self declared. For a period of time the system will always show that a number of prisoners have unrecorded nationality, although in reality this is either undeclared nationality or a refusal to disclose one's nationality.
	Data on foreign national prisoners are published quarterly in the population in custody bulletin, again on the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Offences Against Children

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2009,  Official Report, column 833W, on offences against children, what proportion of offenders aged 21 years or over convicted of offences of sexual activity with a child under 13 received  (a) immediate custody,  (b) a suspended sentence,  (c) a community sentence,  (d) a fine,  (e) a conditional or absolute discharge and (f) other treatment in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: The available information is shown in the following table. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales to provide extra protection to children from sexual exploitation. This makes direct comparisons with previous legislation very difficult. Many new offences created by the Act will not have a direct equivalent under the old legislation.
	The table shows those sentenced from 2004, the first year in which anyone was sentenced under the relevant sections of the 2003 Act. Offenders who committed such offences before 1 May 2004 will have been sentenced under previous legislation and do not appear in the table: therefore the increased numbers over the years reflect the transition to the new legislation.
	The proportion of those given various disposals is shown as a percentage of those sentenced. Lags in time between conviction and sentencing may mean that the total numbers convicted and sentenced in a year may not match. Data held by the Ministry of Justice records the age of the offender at the time of sentencing, the figure's show all offenders aged over 21 and over at that point.
	
		
			  Percentage( 1)  of offenders sentenced to disposals for sexual activity with a child under 13( 2) , 2003-07 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Abuse of trustSexual offences against a child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge  33.3   
			 Fine 
			 Community sentence   100.0  
			 Suspended sentence 
			 Immediate custody  66.7   
			 Otherwise dealt with 
			 Total number sentenced  3 1  
			  
			  Familial sexual offences with a child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge 
			 Fine 
			 Community sentence  43.8 25.0 8.0 
			 Suspended sentence16.0 
			 Immediate custody 100.0 56.3 75.0 76.0 
			 Otherwise dealt with 
			 Total number sentenced 3 16 16 25 
			  
			  Rape or attempted rape of a child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge 
			 Fine 
			 Community sentence   6.3 5.8 
			 Suspended sentence  2.7  2.9 
			 Immediate custody 100.0 94.6 92.2 91.3 
			 Otherwise dealt with  2.7 1.6  
			 Total number sentenced 3 37 64 69 
			  
			  Sexual activity with a child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge 5.0 1.2 1.5  
			 Fine  1.2   
			 Community sentence 35.0 37.8 19.5 23.3 
			 Suspended sentence  2.4 4.5 9.3 
			 Immediate custody 60.0 54.9 71.4 65.1 
			 Otherwise dealt with  2.4 3.0 2.3 
			 Total number sentenced 20 82 133 129 
			  
			  Sexual assault of a female child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge 4.3 0.7  1.7 
			 Fine 
			 Community sentence 34 8 29.0 17.4 14.5 
			 Suspended sentence 8.7 2.1 7.2 9.8 
			 Immediate custody 47.8 67.6 71.9 73.6 
			 Otherwise dealt with 4.3 0.7 3.4 0.4 
			 Total number sentenced 23 145 235 235 
			  
			  Sexual assault of a male child under 13 
			 Absolute or conditional discharge 
			 Fine 
			 Community sentence  31.3 14.6 15.0 
			 Suspended sentence   2.4 7.5 
			 Immediate custody 100.0 65.6 78.0 77.5 
			 Otherwise dealt with  3.1 4.9  
			 Total number sentenced 4 32 41 40 
			 (1) The figures used are shown as a percentage of those sentenced. Lags in time between sentencing and conviction may mean the numbers sentenced and convicted in a year may not match. (2) These offences were an enacted by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and came into force on 1 May 2004, there were no separately identifiable equivalent offences in the Sexual Offences Act 1956.  Notes: 1. These data are based on the principal offence. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed; where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe. 2. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice

Prisoners

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) male and  (b) female prisoners on whole life tariffs are in (i) Category B, (ii) Category C and (iii) Category D prisons.

David Hanson: There are currently seven male prisoners serving whole life tariffs within in category B and less than five in category C. There are no whole life tariff prisoners in category D prisons.
	There are no female prisoners serving a whole life tariff in closed, semi-open or open prisons.

Prisoners: Males

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many male prisoners were categorised as category  (a) A,  (b) B,  (c) C and  (d) D in each month since January 2008.

Jack Straw: The following table shows the number of male prisoners held as Category A in each month since January 2008.
	The information requested on the number of adult male prisoners categorised as Category B, C and D is not recorded centrally. To provide this would require contacting individual prison establishments, which could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number of prisoners categorised as Category AJanuary 2008 to April 2009 
			  Month  Monthly total 
			  2008  
			 January 941 
			 February 924 
			 March 927 
			 April 934 
			 May 933 
			 June 934 
			 July 944 
			 August 928 
			 September 933 
			 October 926 
			 November 914 
			 December 916 
			   
			  2009  
			 January 909 
			 February 914 
			 March 917 
			 April 911

Prisoners: Religion

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the text of Prison Service Order 4550 on religion in the form it took before its amendment by Prison Service Instruction 2009-016.

David Hanson: The Prison Service Order (PSO) 4550 Religion remains extant and has been amended by Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 16/2009. A hard copy of all PSOs and PSIs is sent to the House of Commons Library and a copy of the original document can be found there. Copies of current PSOs and PSIs may be found on the Prison Service website:
	www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk
	A PSO only expires when it is revised or revoked; it is usual, when revised, for the PSO to then be replaced. PSIs are temporary documents that contain mandatory actions and are often issued to introduce amendments to PSOs. I am happy to send the hon. Member a copy of the previous and the current documents.

Prisons: Barking and Dagenham

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many representations have been made to his Department in opposition to the proposed construction of a prison at Beam Park West;
	(2)  what arrangements his Department made for public consultation prior to the decision to build a prison on the Beam Park West site.

Jack Straw: We have received a small number of representations opposing the prison development at Beam Park West.
	We will discuss with my hon. Friend and with representatives from the London Thames Gateway and the London borough of Barking and Dagenham the scope, location, date and time of a public exhibition to be held prior to the submission of planning permission. We will also discuss with them which specific groups of local people, councillors and others should receive a special presentation to.

Prisons: Construction

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether New Hall Farm Lea, near Preston and Kirkham, has been under consideration by his Department as a site for a new prison; whether it is still under consideration; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Justice announced on 27 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 569-80, we will not be proceeding with the 2,500 place Titan prisons, but we will be building 1,500 place prisons instead.
	The site at New Hall Farm Lea was one of a number of sites brought to the attention of the National Offender Management Service as part of the site search exercise for Titan prisons to hold 2,500 prisoners. It was assessed, but not considered suitable for development as a Titan. There are no current plans for prisons on any of the sites listed other than those named in Parliament on 27 April.

Prisons: Discipline

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 483-84W, on prisons: discipline, which prisons in England and Wales do not have officers qualified to act as Tornado support.

Jack Straw: As of 18 May, a total of 23 prisons in England and Wales have no permanent trained staff on site who are qualified to act as Tornado support, either because of the size of the establishment, or because of the prison's security category and characteristics. Arrangements are in place for nearby prisons to provide Tornado qualified staff to these establishments should this be necessary.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners in  (a) England and  (b) Leeds have been transferred from prison to a secure mental health unit in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: The number of prisoners in England and Leeds who have been transferred from prison to a secure mental health unit in each of the last three years is set out in the table.
	
		
			   England  Leeds 
			 2006 903 8 
			 2007 899 12 
			 2008 946 13

Reoffenders

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the re-offending rate was for people who  (a) received reprimands,  (b) were subject to dispersal orders and  (c) received custodial sentences in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Dyfed Powys police area, (iv) Gwent police area, (v) South Wales police area and (vi) North Wales police area in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Government are committed to tackling youth crime across the country. We published the Youth Crime Action Plan in July 2008 which is a comprehensive analysis of what further we need to do to tackle youth crime. It sets out a 'triple track' approach of enforcement and punishment where behaviour is unacceptable, non-negotiable support and challenge where it is most needed, and better and earlier prevention.
	The rates of reoffending in England and Wales of juveniles receiving a reprimand or final warning for the last three years for which data are available are shown in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Reoffending of juveniles receiving reprimands and final warnings, 2004, 2005, 2006 
			  Cohort  Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders  reoffending  (percentage)  Number of offences per 100 offenders 
			 Q1 2004 26,614 26.5 63.3 
			 Q1 2005 28,225 27.1 61.4 
			 Q12006 30,784 27.8 64.7 
		
	
	Disaggregated data for reprimands and final warnings are not collated. These data cannot be broken down by geographical area.
	The Ministry of Justice does not collate data on reoffending by offenders given dispersal orders.
	The rate of reoffending in England and Wales of juvenile offenders released from custody for the last three years for which data are available are shown in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Reoffending of juveniles discharged from custody, 2004, 2005, 2006 
			  Cohort  Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders reoffending (percentage)  Number of offences per 100 offenders 
			 Q1 2004 815 76.4 414.8 
			 Q1 2005 844 73.1 409.5 
			 Q1 2006 817 77.0 404.0 
		
	
	These data cannot be broken down by geographical area.
	While juveniles released from custody have the highest reoffending rates, between 2000 to 2006, we have seen a 16.2 per cent. fall in the frequency rate of reoffending of juveniles (both male and female) released from custody. The Government have pledged additional funding of over 100 million for measures which will cut youth crime in the short-term and prevent it in the long-term.
	Regimes in the under-18 secure estate reflect the principal aim of the youth justice system, which is to prevent offending. All young offender institutions accommodating under 18 year olds are required to put in place a local strategy that will deliver a portfolio of programmes to address the offending behaviour and associated needs of the young people. For every young person, an individual assessment is undertaken to identify the factors that have contributed to their offending and that will need to be addressed in order to reduce the risk of re-offending when they are released into the community.
	The rates of reoffending in England and Wales of adult offenders released from custody for the last three years for which data are available are shown in Table 3.
	
		
			  Table 3: Reoffending of adults discharged from custody, 2004, 2005, 2006 
			  Cohort  Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders reoffending (percentage)  Number of offences per 100 offenders 
			 Q1 2004 15,761 51.9 253.1 
			 Q1 2005 14,595 49.1 228.5 
			 Q1 2006 14,380 46.5 208.4 
		
	
	Data on the reoffending of adults under probation supervision broken down by probation area and local authority (upper tier only) are now available. For further details please see 'Local reoffending results 1 October 2007-30 September 2008 England and Wales' available at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/local-adult-reoffending-oct07-sept08.pdf
	This is the first time that reoffending data at the local level have been made available.

Sentencing

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what individuals sentenced to two months custody or less served in custody during each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The average time served in days, including time on remand, for all prisoners sentenced to two months or less is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Average time served (days) 
			 2003 35 
			 2004 34 
			 2005 34 
			 2006 35 
			 2007 33 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Supreme Court: Costs

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the cost of the Supreme Court building;
	(2)  what the original estimate of the cost of the Supreme Court building was.

Jack Straw: As announced in June 2007 the original estimated set-up costs were 56.9 million, made up of 36.7 million for capital construction, which will be met over a 30-year period through rental payments of 2.1 million per annum, increasing at a rate of 2.5 per cent. per annum; plus 20.2 million of other set-up costs (also announced in June 2007 and including provision of library and visitor facilities).
	The current estimated set-up costs are 58.9 million; 56.9 million as described above, plus an additional 2 million of repairs to Middlesex Guildhall (as announced in July 2008). We also expect a separate cost for new security measures to bring the building into line with other high profile central Government and court buildings in central London (as announced in July 2008). I will give the House a final update on costs at the end of the programme.

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to monitor the effect of implementation of section 93 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 on the number and proportion of negotiated settlements between creditors and debtors.

Bridget Prentice: Last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor asked for a reassessment to ensure the enforcement provisions in the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 remain appropriate. The Government announced, on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 46WS, that it will not implement Part 4 of the Act which contains section 93.

Young Offenders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many under 18-year-olds have been prosecuted for  (a) sexual offences and  (b) robbery in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: The number of persons aged 10 to 17 years proceeded against at magistrates courts for sexual offences and robbery in England and Wales from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) is given in the following table.
	The figures given relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. For example, when a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Number of persons aged 10 to 17 proceeded against at magistrates courts for sexual offences and robbery, England and Wales, 1997 to 2007( 1, 2) 
			  Offence group  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Sexual offences 777 893 916 941 1,120 1,208 1,073 1,237 1,146 987 1,009 
			 Robbery 4,672 4,388 4,107 5,357 6,688 6,618 5,546 5,666 5,809 6,418 6,808 
			 (1) These data are on a principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Evidence and Analysis Unit.

Youth Custody

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many beds in each unit in each secure  (a) children's home and  (b) training centre were block-contracted by the Youth Justice Board in each year since 2002;
	(2)  how many secure placements in secure  (a) children's homes and (b) training centres were purchased by the Youth Justice Board by (i) block contract and (ii) spot purchase in each year since 2002.

David Hanson: The data requested about block-purchase of places in secure children's homes and secure training centres are provided in the tables. The data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board and relate to the contractual position as at 1 April in each year. Actual contracted places may vary through the year where a contractor fails to meet the requirements of the contract and places are declared unavailable until the issues have been addressed.
	
		
			  Places block-purchased by YJB in secure children's homes 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Aldine House 6 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 
			 Atkinson Unit 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Aycliffe 30 35 30 30 30 30 30 30 
			 Barton Moss 17 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 
			 Briars Hey (Orchard House) 4 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brunei Unit 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Clare Lodge 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Clayfields House 9 9 12 12 12 12 12 12 
			 Dales House 6 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dyson Hall (Gladstone Unit) 9 16 16 16 16 16 0 0 
			 East Moor 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 
			 Hillside 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 
			 Lincolnshire 4 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 
			 Kyloe House 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 
			 Leverton 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Orchard Lodge 16 18 18 18 18 18 16 16 
			 Red Bank 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 
			 Redsands 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 St. John's Tiffield 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stamford House 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stoke House 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sutton Place 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 
			 Swanwick Lodge 5 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Thornbury House 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Vinney Green 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 
		
	
	
		
			  Places block-purchased by YJB in secure training centres 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Hassockfield 42 42 42 42 42 58 58 58 
			 Medway 44 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 
			 Oakhill n/a n/a n/a 80 80 80 80 80 
			 Rainsbrook 44 76 76 76 76 87 87 87 
		
	
	From time to time, the Youth Justice Board spot-purchases places in secure children's homes. The available information on such purchases since 2006 is given in the following table. Data for 2002-05 are not available. The YJB does not spot-purchase places at secure training centres.
	
		
			  Places spot-purchased by YJB in secure children's homes 
			   Number of spot purchases 
			 2006 65 
			 2007 71 
			 2008 63 
			 2009 0

Youth Custody

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) males and  (b) females of (i) 15, (ii) 16 and (iii) 17 years of age who were classified as vulnerable have been placed in young offender institutions in each year since 2002.

David Hanson: When a young person is remanded or sentenced to custody by the courts, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) places him or her in the most appropriate accommodation, taking account of a number of factors including his or her age, sex and any known vulnerabilities such as mental health problems or drug or alcohol abuse.
	More-vulnerable young people are normally placed in secure children's homes or secure training centres, but young offender institutions are able to care for some young people identified as vulnerable. For example, the Keppel Unit at Wetherby young offender institution is a special unit providing 48 places for more-vulnerable 15 and 16-year-old boys.
	Placement decisions are based on information provided in the young person's ASSET form. The information asked for is not available in the form requested. Vulnerability includes a wide range of possible factors and it would be necessary for the Youth Justice Board to search through each young person's record; that would be a large exercise, involving disproportionate cost.

Youth Justice

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the likely effects of the implementation of proposals for a Young Offenders' Academy on numbers of custodial places elsewhere in the juvenile estate.

David Hanson: East Potential is an organisation that works with young offenders in East London. Its proposal to develop a young offenders academy is still at the development stage. It is too early to discuss the Government's possible response to, or the likely effects of, a more fully developed plan.
	Any proposals regarding use of custody for young people under 18 who offend would be considered in the light of the Government's overall approach to youth justice, which focuses on prevention; reducing offending and reoffending; and public safety, with custody available as a last resort where no other option is realistic. It would also be necessary to look at the capacity of the under-18 secure estate and the likely future demand for places in it.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma: Storms

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what international aid has so far been brought into the Irrawaddy delta region following Cyclone Nargis by  (a) the international community and  (b) the UK.

Michael Foster: More than 30 countries and international organisations have provided aid to Burma following Cyclone Nargis. However, the financial value of their contributions has not been recorded systematically. By 30 April 2009, nearly US$315 million had been committed to the United Nations Emergency Appeal for Cyclone Nargis. Many donors, including the United Kingdom, have also made significant contributions through other channels such as non-governmental organisations.
	In 2008-09 the United Kingdom committed 45 million towards the Cyclone Nargis relief effort, over 90 per cent. of which has now been delivered through the United Nations and non-governmental organisations. In March 2009, the Secretary of State for International Development agreed to provide a further 20 million for Burma over the next two years in addition to previously planned spending. Approximately 12 million of this extra funding will be spent on cyclone-related assistance.

Departmental Reviews

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) review and  (b) taskforce projects his Department has commissioned in each of the last five years; what the purpose of each such project is; when each such project (i) began and (ii) was completed; what the cost of each such project was; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Summary information on taskforces and other standing bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication 'Public Bodies'. Copies of 'Public Bodies 2008' are available in the Libraries of the House. Detailed information on ad hoc advisory bodies is available in the Department for International Development's (DFID) Annual Resource Accounts, which are available on the DFID website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk

Overseas Aid: Public Consultation

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to involve members of diaspora communities from developing countries who are resident in the UK in formulation of his Department's policy in relation to the those countries.

Ivan Lewis: There is country-level consultation with United Kingdom-based diaspora groups on the Department for International Development's (DFID) strategies and country assistance plans (CAPs). For instance, in 2008 we consulted Somali, Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi diaspora groups. Later this month DFID is organising a series of outreach events with the Bangladeshi diaspora in various locations in the UK.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departmental Stationery

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much  (a) 10 Downing Street and  (b) the Office of the Minister for the Olympics has spent on branded stationery and gifts for (i) internal and (ii) external promotional use in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information is not held in a format that would enable the question to be answered without incurring disproportionate cost.

Local Government

Janet Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his policy is on co-operation between local authorities and community associations; what representations he has received on the recent decision of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on its relationship with community associations and the future payment of grants committed to such associations; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Government's policy on the relationship between local authorities and the third sector is to promote partnership working in order to achieve better outcomes for local communities. Local compacts agreed between local public agencies and the local third sector set out the principles and undertakings to relationships at a local level.
	The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, 2008 set out the new local government performance framework including the role of the third sector. A key part of this is national indicator (N17) which measures the performance of local statutory bodies in creating an environment for a thriving third sector. All local areas will be assessed on this by the new comprehensive area assessment.
	The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has received no representations on this but the Office of the Third Sector has been made aware of the matter.

Public Sector: Recruitment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent representations he has received on levels of advertising of public sector jobs and statutory notices in local newspapers.

Tom Watson: In my ministerial role I receive representations on many things.
	I can confirm that I have received a number of representations regarding levels of advertising of public sector jobs and statutory notices in local newspapers.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 14/7 Abortion Laws in Other Countries; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 5/5 Publicity Material and Publications from Anti Abortion Organisation; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 3/6 Abortion Act 1967 Correspondence between Sir Bernard Braine MP and Minister of Health on matters concerning abortions in NHS hospitals; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/16Bill to Reduce Time Limit on Abortion; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/17 Consideration of Abortion Measures In Warnock Bill (Confidential); and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/18 AbortionPrivate Members' Bills 1989; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/10 Abortion (Amendment) Bill Committee Stage Briefing; and if he will make a statement;
	(8)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/27 Select Committee on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill; and if he will make a statement;
	(9)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/11 Nicholas WintertonAbortion (Financial Benefit) Bill; and if he will make a statement;
	(10)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file CPO 2/12 Edward LeighAbortion (Treatment of Non Resident Women) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We can confirm that the Department does hold these files. It will take some time to review the information requested and we shall endeavour to do so within 20 working days, which is the period of time that would apply had the hon. Member submitted his questions as freedom of information requests. I will write to the hon. Member in due course and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Animals: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the potential harm to public health from illegal wildlife imports; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, working where appropriate with the Department of Health, produces regular assessments of the risk to Great Britain of various different animal diseases, a number of which are zoonotic and can therefore be passed to humans. Copies of these veterinary risk assessments are published at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/monitoring/riskassess.htm
	These assessments include the animal disease risk of illegal imports, although the nature of that activity means that it is difficult to quantify the risk. That is why the Government have robustly enforced import requirements for pets and commercially traded animals.

Colorectal Cancer

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in England and registered at GP practices in Wales are awaiting bowel cancer screening; and how many GP practices in Wales have such patients registered.

Ann Keen: There are approximately 3,000 eligible people resident in England with a general practitioner (GP) in Wales. These individuals are served by 29 different Welsh GP practices.
	The NHS Cancer Screening Programmes and Connecting for Health are working actively to ensure that, once bowel cancer screening is established in the areas where they are resident, services will be provided to these individuals.

Departmental Dismissal

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of staff in his Department and its agencies were dismissed  (a) for under-performance and  (b) in total in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Prior to 2006 records were not held centrally for the core Department, and are not available. Since then the core Department has not dismissed any civil servants for poor performance, although other sanctions, including demotion, have been used in cases of poor performance. In the last year less than five individuals have been dismissed from the core Department for reasons other than performance.
	In NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) no civil servants have been dismissed for poor performance since the organisation was founded in 2000. In the years 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 no civil servant was dismissed from NHS PASA. In each of 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2008 a small numbers of individuals (under five in each year) were dismissed from NHS PASA for reasons other than performance.
	In the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency less than five individuals were dismissed for poor performance in the past year. Total dismissals in each year since 2004 have been greater than zero but less than five.

Departmental Reviews

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) review and  (b) taskforce projects his Department has commissioned in each of the last five years; what the purpose of each such project is; when each such project (i) began and (ii) was completed; what the cost of each such project was; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Summary information on taskforces and other standing bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies. Copies of Public Bodies 2008 are available in the Library.
	Detailed information on the Department's advisory bodies can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/OrganisationsthatworkwithDH/Otherorganisations/DH_4105904
	Information about reviews commissioned in the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Stationery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of office supplies purchased by his Department were recycled products in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: During the year April 2008 to March 2009 the proportion of office supplies purchased by this Department equated to 30.9 per cent.
	The Department's stationery contract does not presently require the supply of recycled supplies. The Office of Government Commerce Buying Solutions are currently tendering for a pan-government collaborative office supplies framework, which we hope will achieve a more sustainable framework.

Epilepsy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of avoidable epilepsy-related deaths in childhood since the National Sentinel Audit of Epilepsy-Related Deaths in 2002.

Ann Keen: The risk factors associated with sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) are poorly controlled epilepsy and a history of seizures at night. Detailed information on epilepsy, and the risk factors associated with SUDEP, has been made available on the NHS Choices website
	www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Epilepsy/Pages/Complications.aspx
	in a form which can be easily accessed and understood by those with epilepsy, their families and carers.

Epilepsy

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children  (a) under the age of 12 and  (b) aged between 12 and 16 years had been diagnosed with epilepsy on the latest date for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

Epilepsy

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to assess his Department's progress against the recommendations of its 2003 Epilepsy Action Plan; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The National Service Framework for Long-Term Conditions is now the key policy document for improving health and social care services for people with neurological conditions including epilepsy.

Epilepsy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to address the serious weaknesses in the care of people with epilepsy referred to in the Chief Medical Officer's Annual Report of 2001.

Ann Keen: There is a wide range of initiatives under way to improve services for patients with epilepsy. The National Service Framework for Long-Term Conditions and clinical guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence provide local national health service organisations with evidence-based markers of good practice to support service improvements. In addition, wider policy developments, including the Next Stage Review, World Class Commissioning, the information and choice agenda, the Transforming Community Services programme and work on care planning for people with long-term conditions, are continuing to contribute to improvements to epilepsy services.

Epilepsy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to reduce levels of misdiagnosis of epilepsy.

Ann Keen: Epilepsy can be difficult to diagnose because there are many other conditions that can cause seizures, such as migraines or panic attacks. There are no specific tests for epilepsy, however in some cases tests can highlight an underlying medical condition which may be causing the seizures.
	Detailed medical advice, suitable for health professionals, on the issues surrounding the problems in diagnosis of epilepsy has been made available at the NHS Evidence website:
	www.evidence.nhs.uk/Search.aspx?t=epilepsy.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many assisted conception treatments were carried out by  (a) the NHS and  (b) a private provider in each region in each of the last five years; and how many such treatments were given by (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) intracytoplasmic sperm injection and (iii) intrauterine insemination;
	(2)  how much the NHS spent on assisted conception treatment in each region in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many assisted conception treatments were commissioned by each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not hold this information centrally. We are currently carrying out a survey of primary care trusts' policies on the provision of fertility treatment which will be published when finalised.

Health Services: Elderly

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an estimate of the cost per year to the public purse of providing  (a) personal and  (b) nursing care free of charge to those over the age of 65 years.

Phil Hope: In England, the Government accepted each of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care, except for the recommendation to provide free personal care in all settings. Making all personal care free would incur substantial additional cost. This was estimated in 2003-04 at an additional 1.5 billion; it can only increase in future years.
	Since April 2003, all residents of care homes providing nursing care, including those placed by local authorities, have received national health service funding of the nursing element of their care, rather than that element of their care being provided by the local council and subject to means testing. Information on the costs to the NHS of free nursing care in nursing homes is not collected centrally.
	We will publish the 'Care and Support' Green Paper in June 2009. It will lay out a series of options around reforming the care and support system, to ensure that care is high quality and cost-effective; that people have choice and control over the care they receive and that the funding system is fair, sustainable, and affordable for individuals and the state.

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what each measured waiting time in each NHS organisation serving residents of Westminster was in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department collects a range of waiting times returns to monitor national health service waiting times performance. These returns cover referral to treatment, in-patient and out-patient stage of treatment, diagnostics, accident and emergency, coronary heart disease, genito-urinary medicine and direct access audiology. In addition, the cancer national database is used to monitor progress on cancer waits.
	Data on the waiting times in Westminster in all these areas has been placed in the Library.

Heart Diseases

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many grown-ups with congenital heart disease are being treated by paediatricians.

Ann Keen: The following table and notes shows how many grown-ups with congenital heart disease are being treated by paediatricians and other clinicians.
	
		
			  Count of finished consultant episodes for congenital heart disease* for those aged 16 and over by consultant main specialty, 2007-08 
			  Activity in English NHS  h ospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  Main specialty code  Main specialty description  Finished consultant episodes 
			 180 Accident and Emergency (AE) 4 
			 190 Anaesthetics 3 
			 320 Cardiology 3,145 
			 170 Cardiothoracic Surgery 924 
			 303 Clinical Haematology 6 
			 305 Clinical Pharmacology 1 
			 192 Critical Care Medicine 13 
			 302 Endocrinology 2 
			 301 Gastroenterology 6 
			 600 General Medical Practice 1 
			 300 General Medicine 267 
			 100 General Surgery 4 
			 430 Geriatric Medicine 10 
			 502 Gynaecology 6 
			 350 Infectious Diseases 1 
			 560 Midwife episode 1 
			 361 Nephrology 3 
			 400 Neurology 6 
			 501 Obstetrics 2 
			 130 Ophthalmology 2 
			 321 Paediatric Cardiology 593 
			 420 Paediatrics 21 
			 810 Radiology 7 
			 340 Respiratory Medicine (Thoracic Medicine) 87 
			 410 Rheumatology 1 
			 110 Trauma and Orthopaedics 1 
			  Not Known 3 
			  Notes: 1. The NHS Information Centre has provided the count of finished consultant episodes for congenital heart disease* for those aged 16 and over, by consultant specialty, for the period 2007-08. 2. They have provided a list of the main specialty of consultants for each episode, not just paediatricians.  Consultant Main Specialty This defines the specialty under which the consultant responsible for the care of the patient at that time is registered. Care is needed when analysing Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data by specialty, or by groups of specialties (such as acute). Trusts have different ways of managing specialties and attributing codes so it is better to analyse by specific diagnoses, operations or other patient or service information.  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.  Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. * The following ICD-10 codes have been used: Q20Congenital malformations of cardiac chambers and connections Q21Congenital malformations of cardiac septa Q22Congenital malformations of pulmonary and tricuspid valves Q23Congenital malformations of aortic and mitral valves Q24Other congenital malformations of heart  Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: ICT

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to achieve a national interface between the Centricity and Medway x-ray providers; and when it is anticipated that the interface will be complete.

Ben Bradshaw: Integration of radiology reports and digital images captured via picture archiving and communications (PACS) systems as a component of the national health service care record is a key requirement for national programme for information technology local service providers (LSPs) for their fully-developed patient administration solutions (PAS) in acute hospitals.
	Where local PAS systems remain in place, as in the case of the Medway product, the integration process with the PACS is managed as an additional local service by the LSP at the instigation of the trust concerned.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used to determine the efficacy of healthcare associated infection control products adopted for use by the NHS in the absence of a recommendation from the Rapid Review Panel.

Ann Keen: The national health service makes its own local decisions regarding products that have not been considered by the Rapid Review Panel.
	The NHS are free to choose which products to purchase.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been vaccinated against human papilloma virus in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) the Tees Valley and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a three-dose schedule. The vaccination programme started in September 2008. Provisional HPV vaccine uptake information is provided monthly by primary care trusts (PCTs) and is published on the website:
	www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Professional_Information/Key_vaccine_information/HPV
	Information is not available for the hon. Member's constituency. Provisional data at the end of March 2009 are shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Cohort 1: routine 12 to 13-year-olds school year 8 
			   Doses given since 1 September 2008 
			   Dose 1  Dose 1 and 2  All 3 Doses 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 England 26,3270 85.5 24,8797 80.8 41,261 13.4 
			 North East 14,094 91.0 13,025 84.1 1,517 9.8 
			 Tees Valley 3,693 84.5 3,571 81.8 959 22.0 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 642 73.2 635 72.5 463 52.8 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 799 82.5 776 80.2 398 41.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Cohort 2: catch-up 17 to 18-year-olds school year 13 
			   Doses given since 1 September 2008 
			   Dose 1  Dose 1 and 2  All 3 Doses 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 England 15,3809 47.7 113,825 35.3 5,481 1.7 
			 North East 8,748 54.3 5,445 33.8 290 1.8 
			 Tees Valley 2,148 47.6 1,748 38.7 0 0.0 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 507 52.3 447 46.1 0 0.0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 472 47.4 412 41.4 0 0.0 
			  Note: Tees Valley is not a single administrative or health area. It is an area which comprises Hartlepool PCT, Middlesbrough PCT, Redcar and Cleveland PCT, Stockton-on-Tees Teaching PCT and Darlington PCT. 
		
	
	The provisional data for all PCTs in England at the end of March 2009 have been placed in the Library.

Incontinence

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether proposed walk-in health centres will provide access to incontinence stores.

Ben Bradshaw: It is up to the commissioning primary care trust to determine locally what services will be provided to patients at new general practitioner-led health centres or national health service walk-in centres.
	My hon. Friend may wish to approach local NHS organisations for further information.

Incontinence

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will initiate a cost-benefit analysis on the provision of integrated continence services;
	(2)  how many primary care trusts provide an integrated incontinence service.

Phil Hope: We have no plans to initiate a cost-benefit analysis on the provision of integrated continence services.
	Information on the number of primary care trusts that provide an integrated continence service is not collected.

Influenza

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to ensure that patients showing symptoms of swine influenza are able to receive antiviral treatment within 12 hours;
	(2)  what tests his Department has conducted of the system of  (a) access to and  (b) UK-wide distribution to the public of antiviral drugs;
	(3)  whether primary care trusts plans for the location of collection points of antivirals in the event of an influenza pandemic have been finalised; and whether a stock management system for the distribution of antivirals has been established;
	(4)  what tests his Department has conducted on the proposed National Flu Line prior to its entry into service;
	(5)  what arrangements his Department has put in place for the distribution of antivirals before autumn 2009;
	(6)  what estimate his Department has made of the number of calls to the proposed National Flu Line at peak times; and when he expects the proposed National Flu Line to reach this level of operability;
	(7)  how many call centres are planned for the proposed National Flu Line; and when he expects the National Flu Line to reach this level of operability;
	(8)  pursuant to his statement of 29 April 2009,  Official Report, column 987, on the swine flu update, what plans he has to consult on the list of key infrastructure workers identified as potentially in need of a prophylaxis against influenza.

Dawn Primarolo: Antiviral drugs are effective so long as they are administered within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Currently, patients showing symptoms of swine influenza who contact their local general practitioner (GP) or call NHS Direct are prescribed antivirals from stocks held at local Health Protection Agency (HPA) health protection units. National health service organisations have arrangements in place to handle collection of antivirals from the HPA and to ensure patients can readily collect them. The algorithm for diagnosing swine influenza and rapidly accessing and prescribing antiviral drugs where appropriate has been sent to all GPs and is also in use by NHS Direct.
	We have provided detailed guidance to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the setting up of the antiviral collection points which will be used by 'Flu Friends' on behalf of symptomatic individuals. All PCTs have received an initial supply of antiviral drugs. PCTs and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been identifying the number and location of antiviral collection points that would be appropriate to their local health economy. PCTs and SHAs are reviewing existing plans to enable an immediate local response if required.
	An essential element of the mitigation phase will be a system for ordering and distributing antivirals. The 'Flu Line' is a groundbreaking system and the first of its kind in the world. It will be able to assess people via either the internet or telephone, co-ordinate the distribution of antivirals and feed back to local health services. The 'Flu Line' will be ready for the autumn and will have been thoroughly tested so that staff, patients and the public can have full confidence in its efficacy.
	In the event of a need to distribute antivirals more quickly, an interim service is being put in place to supplement the assessment and authorisation processes. This system is being thoroughly tested and we expect the online aspect of it to be fully operational as soon as it is needed.
	In the present containment phase, antivirals are being provided as post-exposure prophylaxis to the close contacts of confirmed cases. We will keep this under review as the situation develops.

Influenza

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the implications for the UK of an influenza pandemic in developing countries; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on healthcare assistance to developing countries affected by such a pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: The National framework for responding to an influenza pandemic sets out the potential impact of a pandemic on the United Kingdom and makes it clear that flexible strategies will be needed in deciding how best we respond, irrespective of where the virus actually originates. A copy of the framework has been placed in the Library.
	There continues to be on-going collaboration between Department of Health and Department for International Development (DFID) officials. Last year both Departments worked closely in producing the first cross-government UK international preparedness strategy for pandemic influenza (a copy of which has been placed in the Library). One of its objectives is to support detection and surveillance activity in countries at risk so that accurate reporting data can be provided and, where feasible, humanitarian assistance can be provided. Officials of both Departments are working closely together to now take this forward, including on-going engagement with the Pandemic Influenza Contingency team in the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
	At a series of international conferences since 2006, the UK has pledged to date 37 million to help improve preparedness for avian and pandemic flu. The World Health Organization has set up an emergency fund for the current swine flu outbreak and DFID has announced a donation of 5 million towards this.

Influenza: Drugs

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many doses of Tamiflu the NHS holds;
	(2)  what contingency arrangements his Department has made for a re-emergence of swine influenza in the autumn.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has been planning for a possible influenza pandemic for some time and has robust plans in place. We have enough antiviral stocks to cover 50 per cent. of the population (some 33.5 million courses); we are further increasing the stockpile so that it is enough to cover 80 per cent. of the population (some 50 million courses).
	We also expect Flu Line, which will be used to assess symptoms and authorise antivirals for individuals, to be operational by the autumn, thus ensuring we have additional capability to respond to a re-emergence of the virus.
	On 15 May, the Government also announced the signing of agreements with vaccine manufacturers for up to 90 million doses of a pre-pandemic vaccine based on the current H1N1 strain. The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable groups in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive. In the event of a pandemic, the Advanced Purchase Agreements previously signed with Baxter and GlaxoSmithKline will be activated; these will enable the United Kingdom to purchase enough vaccine to cover 100 per cent. of the UK population.
	In addition, we are increasing our stocks of facemasks, respirators and antibiotics to ensure we have sufficient stocks of countermeasures to tackle a re-emergence of swine influenza later in the year.
	We are also ensuring that the national health service is well prepared to handle the consequences of any re-emergence.

Liver Diseases

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the age of the youngest  (a) girl and  (b) boy admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related liver condition was in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: Due to data quality concerns we are unable to provide the data requested. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care have advised that the maximum or minimum values are more susceptible to error than other values and that if the data were supplied on the youngest girl and boy admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related liver disease it may be erroneous and therefore misleading.

Maternity Services

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 956-57W, on childbirth, what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of midwives that will be required and  (b) the resource budget of paediatric medical services in each year to 2031 assuming the number of births to be as set out in the table; and what estimate he has made of (i) marginal cost and (ii) capital value of the maternity services required to manage that volume of births.

Ann Keen: No such estimates have been made. Strategic health authority plans to increase midwifery numbers up to 4,000 by 2012 have factored in future forecast birth rates.

Meals on Wheels

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure his Department has incurred on the provision of meals on wheels services in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: The Department has not incurred expenditure on the provision of meals on wheels services by local authorities.
	Local authorities pay for publicly-funded adult social care services, including meals on wheels, out of their general funds. Local authorities receive central Government funding from Her Majesty's Treasury, which is distributed to them by the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as income from local taxationvia council tax receiptsand from other Government Departments and private contributions.
	It is not possible to say how much, if any, of the Department's monies councils use to fund meals on wheels services, as this funding is part of a larger sum of money received by councils.

Members: Correspondence

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean of 23 March and 11 May 2009, on bowel cancer screening, reference FD5531.

Ben Bradshaw: I apologise for the delay in responding to this correspondence. A response will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

NHS: Information and Communications Technology

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria the local service providers for the National Programme for IT will be required to meet by November 2009; and what circumstances will trigger the launch of his Department's new plan for delivering health informatics to healthcare.

Ben Bradshaw: The role of national programme local service providers (LSPs) is to deliver information technology (IT) systems and services across the national health service within defined groups of strategic health authorities. LSPs ensure the integration of existing local systems and, where necessary, implement new systems so that the national applications can be delivered locally, while maintaining common standards. All LSPs have contracted to develop and deliver a fully integrated NHS care record solution, and are in the process of doing so. This role was established at the outset of the programme, and will not change between now and end November 2009.
	The Department's Chief Information Officer has recently made clear our commitment to opening up the health care IT market to new suppliers and new technological developments, to inject more pace into the programme. Our aim is to help trusts configure systems to best meet their local needs, as well as taking advantage of market developments to make more use of the information they hold. Officials will be working closely with the NHS and current suppliers to improve the pace of delivery. We will be prepared to consider alternative arrangements in the event that significant progress has not been demonstrated before the end of 2009.

NHS: Pay

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS employees have a salary exceeding that of the Prime Minister.

Ann Keen: The salary of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is 194,250 a year from 1 April 2009. Direct comparisons between this figure and the salaries of national health service employees for 2009-10 are not yet possible. However, using data from the Electronic Staff Record, the NHS Information Centre's analysis of monthly salary payments suggests that there were 56 medical and non-medical NHS staff with estimated annual earnings of over 194,250, as at December 2008.
	Details of NHS pay rates under the national frameworks are available as follows:
	The rates for doctors and dentists, and for staff employed under Agenda for Change, are set out in Pay Circulars which are published on the NHS Employers' website at:
	www.nhsemployers.org
	The rates for very senior NHS managers employed in strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, special health authorities and ambulance trusts are set out in the relevant pay framework issued by the Department. This is updated annually, and a copy of the document for 2009-10 has been placed in the Library. It is also available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_097599

NHS: Standards

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Quality Outcomes Framework targets will next be reviewed.

Ben Bradshaw: Following a public consultation, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is now responsible for overseeing an independent process for developing and reviewing clinical and health improvement indicators in the Quality Outcomes Framework in general practice for England. NICE is expected to provide initial recommendations on indicators in the summer.

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust pays invoices within 10 days.

Ben Bradshaw: David Nicholson, NHS chief executive, wrote to all NHS trust chief executives on 21 October 2008 asking them to examine and review existing payment practices and payment performance, and to move as closely as possible to the 10-day payment commitment that has been set for Government Departments wherever practical.
	National health service prompt payment performance against the 30-day payment target is reported in annual accounts. We are advised that the 2008-09 accounts for the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust recorded a 95 per cent. achievement against the 30-day payment target for non-NHS payments.

Strokes

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people  (a) were admitted to and  (b) died in hospital following a stroke in each hospital in England in each of the last three years.

Ann Keen: A table and footnotes which shows how many people were admitted to hospital following a stroke and subsequently died at the hospital in each hospital in England in each of the last three years has been placed in the Library.

Strokes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of the progress of the national stroke strategy for England in facilitating the rapid diagnosis of strokes; what estimate he has made of the number of stroke patients who receive a specialist assessment including a brain scan within  (a) 24 and  (b) 48 hours in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Data on the provision of brain imaging for suspected stroke within 24 hours and electrocardiography (ECG) within 48 hours for transient ischaemic attack (TIA) are not collected centrally. However, the National Sentinel Stroke Audit, prepared by the Royal College of Physicians, which is based on clinical data collected directly from national health service trusts, details the latest evidence on the provision of stroke services including specialist assessment and scanning. The most recent audit is available at the college's website at:
	www.rcplondon.ac.uk/clinical-standards/ceeu/Current-work/stroke/Pages/Audit.aspx
	The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long-term care and support. Our intention is to publish the evaluation report.

Surgery

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place to enable an individual to elect to postpone an operation beyond the 18-week target waiting time.

Ben Bradshaw: From 1 January 2009, no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner to the start of their consultant-led treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer. Key to this is clear communication between the patient and the hospital at all stages of treatment.
	As set out in the published 18 weeks rules, a patient's 18-week waiting time clock can only be paused when a patient, who will be admitted for treatment, decides in discussion with their clinician to delay when they have their treatment. This might be for personal or social reasons, for example, to fit around work commitments or school holidays, or perhaps attend an important family event such as a wedding.
	National health service performance against the 18 weeks waiting time standard is measured against the published minimum operational standards of 90 per cent. for admitted patients and 95 per cent. for non-admitted patients. The tolerances of 10 per cent. and 5 per cent. respectively allow for patients who choose to wait longer than 18 weeks or where this is clinically appropriate.

Swine Flu

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans his Department has for  (a) the distribution of and  (b) inoculation by the T1N1 vaccination to ensure herd immunity against swine influenza by the autumn;
	(2)  whether (a) illegal migrants and (b) visitors normally resident overseas will be eligible for inoculation with the T1N1 influenza vaccine, should vaccination become necessary.

Dawn Primarolo: On 14 May the Government announced the signing of agreements with vaccine manufacturers for up to 90 million doses of a pre-pandemic vaccine based on the current H1N1 strain. The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable groups in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive. In the event of a pandemic, the Advanced Purchase Agreements (APAs) previously signed with Baxter and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will be activated; these will enable the United Kingdom to purchase enough vaccine to cover 100 per cent. of the UK population.
	The plans for the implementation of a mass vaccination strategy are set out in guidance published by the Department for primary care trusts (PCTs) in December 2008. A copy has been placed in the Library. It sets out the key national responsibilities of the Department and the arrangements needed to be put in place to administer vaccinations through local national health service organisations.
	The guidance referred to above assumes that the vaccination will be delivered at PCT level through general practitioner surgeries or mass vaccination centres. The currently identified groups for pandemic influenza vaccination include: frontline health and social care workers, children under 16, older people and those clinically at risk. Persons eligible within those groups may include overseas visitors and illegal migrants. However, the priority groups will be reviewed in light of emerging evidence on the virulence and severity of the new virus in different groups.

Tranquillisers

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received on the outcome of litigation in the Scottish courts against the manufacturers of nitrazepam.

Dawn Primarolo: We have received no such reports.

Vaccination: Side Effects

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many reports of adverse reaction to the bacillus calmette gurin vaccination there were in each year since 1985;
	(2)  how many reports of adverse reaction to vaccinations against  (a) measles,  (b) rubella,  (c) polio,  (d) whooping cough,  (e) tetanus,  (f) diphtheria and  (g) mumps there were in each year since 1985;
	(3)  how many reports of adverse reaction to the Haemophilus Influenza Type B vaccination there were in each year since 1985.

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers of reports of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs) submitted via the Yellow Card Scheme between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2008 associated with the following vaccines: Bacillus Calmette Gurin (BCG), measles, mumps, rubella, polio, whooping cough (bordetella pertussis), tetanus, diphtheria and Haemophilus Influenza Type B (HIB) are shown in the following tables. This includes combinations of the above vaccines. As a single Yellow Card report may contain more than one suspect vaccine, the total number of reports differs from the sum of the number of suspected adverse reactions to individual vaccines.
	Data from the Yellow Card Scheme are continually reviewed to identify new safety issues with medicines and vaccines, and where safety issues are identified appropriate action is taken to protect public health. It is very important to note that the report of a suspected ADR via the Yellow Card Scheme and inclusion in the tables does not necessarily mean that a reaction was caused by the vaccine. Yellow Card reports are suspicions that a vaccine or medicine may have caused a reaction and are not proof of a causal association.
	During this time period, tens of millions of children and adults have been immunised with these vaccines. The balance of benefits and risks of these vaccines is overwhelmingly favourable.
	
		
			  Total number of suspected ADR reports reported with the vaccines; bacillus calmette gurin (BCG) to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2008 associated, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, whooping cough and Haemophilus Influenza Type B (HIB) 
			   BCG  DT  DT IPV  DTP  DTP HIB  DTP IPV  DTP IPV HIB  HIB  HIB  and HepB  Measles and Rubella  MenC HIB 
			 1985 57 142  141
			 1986 38 318  136
			 1987 49 111  148
			 1988 10 122  177
			 1989 21 68  157
			 1990 14 75  231
			 1991 25 117  202  1  
			 1992 32 131  208402
			 1993 31 140  3261,223
			 1994 31 159  303311  893  
			 1995 57 208  219146  313  
			 1996. 93 235  190 97   110  17  
			 1997 38 187  77 165   61  6  
			 1998 41 258  81 164   27  1  
			 1999 50 135  502 91   251  2  
			 2000 15 131  144 233   107
			 2001 71 78  86 111   34  2  
			 2002 126 47  243 276  1 40
			 2003 486 76  225 385   343
			 2004 348 53 59 287 189 120 53 30 1   
			 2005 331 15 177 18 8 435 198 9
			 2006 38 6 80 28 4 209 115 4  1 11 
			 2007 41 1 108 20 2 69 171 4   60 
			 2008 32  83 13 10 11 255 2  1 48 
		
	
	
		
			   MMR  Single Diphtheria  Single Measles  Single Mumps  Single Pertusiss  Single Polio  Single Rubella  Single Tetanus 
			 1985  89 83  58 17 18 229 
			 1986  74 92  114 5 24 206 
			 1987 3 13 78 1 38 6 23 168 
			 1988 264 3 73 1 3 11 22 312 
			 1989 1,064 5 2 3 7 9 16 241 
			 1990 484 1 1  10 8 13 217 
			 1991 263 6 3  10 47 7 134 
			 1992 200 2   9 96 18 121 
			 1993 125 3   5 119 9 80 
			 1994 130 4 7  6 101 11 115 
			 1995 133 7 5  8 88 7 58 
			 1996. 140 6 1  3 86 7 54 
			 1997 204 2 2  2 93 3 46 
			 1998 169 6   1 130 6 55 
			 1999 108 2 1   104 8 40 
			 2000 174 4   4 204 1 47 
			 2001 95 3   1 84 7 33 
			 2002 91 2 5 1 2 81 7 21 
			 2003 105 2 6 1 1 123 7 8 
			 2004 105  1 1 2 103 6 6 
			 2005 204  4   16 5 2 
			 2006 155 1 4  1 4 4 8 
			 2007 101  5 1  3 4 2 
			 2008 124  2   3 8 3 
			  Abbreviations: Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG Whooping Cough (Pertussis) (P) Diphtheria (D) Tetanus (T) Haemophilus Influenza Type B (HIB) Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV) * DTP includes wholecell and acellular DTP vaccines * IPV includes inactivated and live polio vaccines